Maria
by ConcoctionMaster
Summary: Talia had erased her from memory. Bane spends every free thought wondering if she still exists. How long will it take for him to realize that what he'd been searching for has dropped into his clutches? More importantly how long will it take this anonymous woman to regain lost memories of the past? and once regaining them will it be the key to saving Gotham from annihilation?
1. Chapter 1

_Past_

Hidden in the depths of a desert, amongst scorching heat by day and sharp, numbing cold by night, was a pit. And within this deep wide circumference hundreds of souls waited for their deaths. The hole that led into this place was not only the entrance but also the only exit. These souls would look to the heinously teasing sky daring those to try and climb to freedom.

And the idea was simple enough.

This hope was chained to all the unfortunate souls-a hope that caused them ultimate despair and frequently took their lives. The despair would engrave itself on their souls, gradually ripping and gnawing on their sanity. They would forget the soft caress of light and forcibly be plunged into the embrace of darkness. Agonizingly slow, they would become apathetic beings-no longer living, but uselessly striving to survive in a place where their deaths came sooner than the inevitable.

There was no order here, every soul rampaged freely-and this would be their only freedom. Murder, rape, disease, the rapid decreasing of human morality, a place that turned once proud, brilliant men into filthy, savage beasts. As time passed, this pit would be the only world these poor souls could comprehend. Existing in a wild place, predators clawing and maiming each other for a position at the top of a throne that remained a dream. No matter who was stronger, a knife to the heart will bring any mortal man instant death.

It was no exaggeration that this prison be titled Hell on Earth.

And this hellish place was what a man called home for nearly all his life.

The prison had been taken his name, his basic humane emotions, and was still taking its sweet time devouring his sanity. Killing a man was no different than breathing to him. At times, he found himself relishing in his victims' pain. Watching them writhe and squirm in his iron grip, watching them plead and cry, degrading themselves into worms-and he would snap their necks that instant; such cruel acts made him feel powerful, unstoppable.

The prisoners were afraid of him, and he remained alone. Due to his massive size and towering height he was often called a monster; a nickname he allowed if it kept him alive another day. He believed all traces of his humanity had evaporated decades ago-and sometimes he questioned whether it was ever there at all. Perhaps it would've taken a few more years for the darkness to completely engulf his heart, the dark tendrils ready to take the last piece of his humanity, were it not for the sound of cheerful laughter that halted its movements.

He sat on the stone floor in his cell; the barred door was closed though he could open it whenever he wished. He stared across the large space in the center of the prison, significantly lit by sunlight, to the opposite side of his own cell. There, within a chamber, was the woman and the two small children.

He remembered when the woman first appeared years ago. He couldn't drown out the roars of men, who had been deprived of the opposite sex. At the time she was heavily pregnant, so the prison doctor made sure to keep her locked in that cell. A few months later a baby would be born. A few years later another would be damned to the pit. A three year old, whom the woman graciously accepted as her own. Now the children were five.

The man watched the children giggle; such a soft, odd noise that echoed along stonewalls. He had heard them cry, shriek, even curse-much to the mother's dismay. But this was the first time he heard them laugh. He couldn't, ever, remember hearing laughter in the prison-unless it was that of a predator preparing to indulge in beastly behavior.

The man focused his gaze, examining their faces. An unusual tingling sensation pulsed through his flesh as he felt his cheeks warm. They, both, were smiling and their big brown eyes were wide with excitement and another emotion he couldn't depict. The smaller child had short scruffy dark brown hair, a slight olive-toned skin, rosy cheeks, and sanguine lips.

The other had short black curly hair-like a sheep's coat-brown skin, reddish brown lips, and a tiny mole beside her left eye. In his eyes they almost morphed into little animals; the kind that do no harm. The children were tossing back and forth a jagged edged dagger. Each time one of them missed catching the, rather dangerous, weapon a fit of laugher escaped their small lips.

The man's brows burrowed, he wondered what could be so amusing as throwing a dagger at each other. And he could tell they were genuinely delighted by their activity. The mother was smiling as well, though her eyes held a great deal of concern. Perhaps she wanted to stop them, but couldn't bring herself to end their game.

The man let out a low snort, no matter how much they liked the game it was still hazardous-she should stop them before they accidently stab each other. He looked back at the children who now stared back at him. He held their gaze; surprised they caught his eavesdropping from such a distance. The child with sheep-like hair lifted her hand and hesitantly waved at him, causing the man to tilt his head in question. Did this child not know who he was? What he did to people? How he killed people? Why would the child even bother acknowledging his existence in this forsaken place?

He though it best to ignore the child's gesture, yet his body betrayed him as he came to the realization that he was waving back.


	2. Chapter 2

_Present_

The barrel of the gun rams against my skull; instantly, my vision blurs and black spots begin to spread throughout my sight. A loud ringing sound pulses awfully in my head. I don't feel the impact of falling to the ground. 'Move!' my conscious screams at me, and I try. Rolling onto my stomach I try crawling away but I keep slipping in and out of unconsciousness. And the last thing I see before succumbing to oblivion is the stranger's raging eyes and the certainty that he is prepared to kill me.

* * *

I awake to the sound of automatic fire. Startled, my eyes snap open and I hastily take in my surroundings. Closest to me is a desk, topped with folders, papers, and a few laptops. Attached to the wall above the desk are a group of monitors displaying various areas I've never seen. I lye on a very large makeshift bed; most likely meant for a large person. Beside the bed are crates, boxes, and large duffel bags.

Further away from me a rush of water gushes out of an opening within a massive dark and grimy concrete wall. The area is dim, lit with very few floodlights. Nothing is familiar. My eyes then focus onto the pack of men standing by a rail that probably overlooks a manmade river. All of them wear similar, military-like, uniforms except one.

He is the largest of them, perhaps standing over six foot five, with a tremendous build that would put heavy weight fighters to shame. Even though the man is quite a distance from me I can sense the militant and dominant aura radiating from him, like feeling the burn from the sun's rays. The atmosphere is already thick, almost suffocating.

The air is scented with a slight hint of fresh blood, mixed with bitterness and humidity, a sewage scent. Now I know I'm definitely underground, which means escaping this predicament would not be easy. The giant holds a gun in his big hands and stuffs some kind of gadget into a man's jacket pocket before lightly poking him in the chest and shooting him the abdomen. The man flips over the rail and falls into the rushing river.

My first instinct is to panic. I'll admit, living as a thief does not always guarantee I'll end up in the best situations, but this is the first time I've ever felt trapped. I would love to panic, but I was taught better than that. I can hear my mentor's lovely voice in my mind, reminding me of the many rules to being a thief.

"Never get upset. You'll do and say stupid shit and get yourself into deeper shit." I continue to observe the shirtless colossal figure; the most standing out feature is the strange mask covering a majority of his face.

The device is terribly creepy, having thick spider-like tubes that form a mouthpiece, much like the jaw of an anglerfish. His skin is quite dull, though the lighting can be blamed. His skin is also branded with scars-some fresh, a plethora of old. His body is greatly muscular, as if the man never missed a day of training.

I search through the archives of my brilliant mind, trying to decipher who this person is. And trust me when I say I know a lot of people whether they're from Gotham or not. Yet I found nothing, not even a clue. I know these men aren't your typical criminal-they seemed too intellectual to be mere criminals. Each face is stern, all stand straight, and they hold themselves with absolution, perhaps an unwavering resolution. They all revere the man with the mask, who stares right at me.

"You are conscious," his voice is mechanical and somewhat raspy with a heavy English accent. Though his tone is not as deep, especially with a body like that, it is still overflowing with masculinity-holding plenty of maturity, intelligence, and overall authority.

"I apologize for the rude awakening," he says while walking towards me; his combat boots plus his weight cause unnerving thumping sounds as well as faint vibrations with each step he takes.

"I hope the wound upon you forehead is not too troublesome."

'Wound?' I touch my forehead and feel a bandage along my fingertips. Then the memories flood into attention. Some bastard knocked me out. I was with Selina when the shoot out began. We separated to avoid being caught by Daggot's thugs. And I got caught! Shit!

"Who are you?" I inquire, rather too forcefully; if anyone were forcing anything it'd be the big guy.

"Who we are does not concern you." He responds and stares down at me now that he's mere inches away from the bed.

"I don't mean your little band of men, I mean _you_ specifically," the skin around his eyes wrinkle slightly-is he smirking under that mask?

"Who _I_ am, does not concern you."

"Well what does concern me, can I know where I am?"

"It would not be to my benefit for you to know, Miss Raja Hughes." Fuck, so he knows who I am, which is a complete disadvantage. But I'm not letting this conversation end without at least a little information.

"As for what does concern you, for now, nothing," I mentally suck my teeth, smart-ass. As if this dude would keep me here for nothing. Selina is involved with these people. They probably noted me as her friend, and the only way I could be useful to them, as her friend, is if I'm a hostage.

"You're not from around here, are you?" an obvious question, I know. And he knew too, his eyes squint as if he already knew what I'm thinking. One of the big guy's minions stand beside him, his countenance is devoid of any emotion whatsoever-a feat I've never seen. What kind of depressing story does he have?

"The room is ready, sir." The stoic man says, even his voice is plain and monotonous with an accent that I can't quite pinpoint.

"She will remain there until further notice," the masked man says motioning with his hand that I get up. Upon doing so Mr. blank face grasps my wrists and ties a thick rope around both.

"Keep in mind her reputation, Barsad." I turn to the big man, a sweet smile on my lips.

"I promise to be the most darling little hostage." His eyes squint cautiously.

"On second thought," the masked man says stopping his minion's movements with a brawny hand upon his shoulder,

"She will remain here for now."

* * *

A/N: Greetings! if you've read this far, thanks for reading! as i'm sure you noticed each chapter is either past or present. Each week two chapters will be posted, because in order to understand the present the past is super duper important.


	3. Chapter 3

_Past_

"Don't wave at 'im!" Talia scolded, hastily grabbing Maria's wrist and forcing it down. Maria glared at her, and snatched her wrist out of Talia's grip.

"Well I'm not gonna ignore 'im, he was starin' at us," Maria retorted,

"He's dangerous, momma said don't even look at 'im, why don't ya listen ta her for once?" Maria sucked her teeth. This wasn't the first time the man had been staring at them. It was laughably obvious whenever he did so, and the children would usually pay him no mind, but Maria didn't see any reason not to acknowledge him.

Her mother said the man was dangerous, but he never laid a single finger on them. He never approached them or even came anywhere near their cell. He never spoke a word to them. All he has ever done was stare. Compared to the other prisoners, who occasionally glared at the children, especially their mother as if any day they would rip her to shreds, the man within the cell opposite to them was incredibly passive in Maria's eyes.

"We should talk ta 'im," Maria whispered so her mother wouldn't hear. Talia's eyes widened and her brows rose in disagreement.

"He's always alone, we can be, like, his first friends,"

"No. Don't be stupid!"

"Talia," their mother said sternly. Talia's cheeks flushed,

"Sorry Maria-" Talia drops her tone to a rushing whisper,

"You're crazy."

"But he looks lonely,"

"He wants ta be alone,"

"No one wants ta be alone," Maria began to bat her eyelashes, pouting her lips in a pleading gesture. Talia sighed heavily, looking at the ceiling to avoid her sister's begging expression.

"Please Talia," Talia bit her bottom lip in frustration. She knew, even if she said no, Maria was going to talk to the man anyway.

"How are we suppose ta talk ta 'im when we can't leave the cell?" Talia asked.

"We just have ta wait for 'im to come close."

"I don't know, we really shouldn'"

"Come one Talia, the worst he can do is ignore us."

"Oh, alright. But if somethin' bad happens it's your fault." Maria smiled in delight and hugged her sister. Talia reluctantly smiled as well and rolled her eyes.

As days turned into weeks and weeks into months the girls were sure an opportunity to confront the man would be impossible. Whenever Maria tried to acknowledge him he would ignore her. She even tried yelling to him, frightening her mother completely, since it was forbidden to speak to the other prisoners.

Talia gained the nerve to throw a small pebble at the man, hitting him directly on the forehead. Yet he shrugged off her attempt for attention and continued to disregard them. Yet they didn't give up. Eventually pebbles turned into rocks and rocks into other, larger, objects that would definitely hurt on impact. Maria couldn't prevent Talia from acting out so violently; she found it strange that Talia now wanted the man's attention as much as she did.

One day she even went so far as to try and break out of the cell, scaring the hell out of their mother. On that day the man did notice her attempt, and finally decided it was time to deal with these annoying brats. Otherwise they'd do something incredibly foolish and get themselves killed. He waited until nighttime when the prisoners were less active and the darkness would cover his movements so that no one knew what he was up to. As he ventured closer to the children's cell he caught sight of the mother. She was sleeping on the floor; her back against a stonewall as the children sat on the bed playing with what looked like a makeshift doll. When he finally reached the cell door, he sat on the ground and softly called out to them,

"I'd appreciate if you'd stop throwing rocks at me." they're little heads whipped towards the cell door, their eyes widened with shock.

"Its 'im, he came!" Maria quietly exclaimed, jumping out of the bed and running towards the door. Talia followed and both sat on the floor. Even from a distance they knew he was a large man but they didn't realize how big he was, having to crane their necks up just to see his face.

"I'm Maria and this is Talia, what's your name?" the man burrowed his brows in puzzlement. Why was she telling him this? Why did she want to know anything about him?

"I…I don't have a name." the man said rather awkwardly.

"Ya don't have a name? Why?" Talia asks. 'Was it important to have a name?' the man wondered. A name certainly didn't ensure his survival. Yet the child made it seem wrong not to have a name.

"I just don't have one, I don't know why," He replied,

"No more rock throwing, okay." And as the man began to stand Maria panicked and quickly conveyed

"We'll give ya a name." the man halts.

"If, if ya stay we'll give ya a name. Please don't go." The man stared at Maria.

"What do you want from me?"

"Friendship." She said with a smile. He felt the blood rushing to his face, as a surge of warmth filled his cheeks.

"You want to be friends…with me? Why?"

"Aren'cha ya lonely by yourself?" he never considered that. He wondered if had ever felt loneliness. Aside from an old stuffed animal he had as a child he was alone and was used to being along. He never fostered the idea of loneliness.

"What name…what name would you give me?" the man asked.

"Well we can't come up with it now, we need time ta think a one." Talia retorted.


	4. Chapter 4

_Present_

"No, no, I like having my own room." I proclaim as my heart beats two times faster; I'm not sure how long I can keep up this calm façade.

"Are you hungry Miss Hughes?" the masked man questions, ignoring my statement. He sits in a cushioned chair, which he positions in front of me. I sit back on the bed, feeling awfully small. How is it, even when he's sitting, he remains intimidating?

"No, I'm not hungry. I don't think anyone in my position would want to eat." How could I possibly keep any food down with this monstrosity roaming around? I still don't now what they'll gain from me. Selina isn't the kind of person to be swayed over hostages. She's too smart to think irrationally. Perhaps these people threatened to kill her should she not comply with their demands. Which begs the question of what they would need a hostage for? Especially when having easier methods to acquire whatever they want.

"It is blatantly obvious when you are musing," the big guy says, causing me to suck my teeth- a bad habit that will follow me to my grave.

"Miss Selina Kyle was supposed to die today." I look him straight in the eyes and try to mimic his voice by cupping a hand over my mouth, dropping my tone a few octaves and put on an English accent.

"It was blatantly obvious," the skin around his eyes crinkle, expressing his amusement. I know he deliberately said that just to push my buttons, and honestly it almost worked.

Nothing gets to me more than someone hurting my friends.

"What more do you want from her? You've got Bruce Wayne's fingerprints." I ask, though I already know why. Someone with a huge, secretive, agenda wouldn't want loose ends. The big man remains quiet. I can feel his eyes absorbing my every move, reading my eyes, and maybe glimpsing into my mind as well. I decide to take a different route to my information gathering. This man is not going to give away anything, no matter how I disguise my questions. He's observant and analytical. Right now, he could be mentally adding to his collection of info he has on me for all I know.

So I cut to the chase.

"You don't need me as a hostage. You don't need Selina anymore. What do you want from me? How could I possibly be of any use to you?" the masked man crosses his large arms over his broad chest, and leans back in the chair. His eyes wander off of me for a moment, seemingly contemplating something. The man named Barsad stands a few feet behind him, his eyes to the floor. I notice the red, ragged, scarf around his neck. It kind of enhances his already badass uniform. I look back to the big man who now gazes at me.

"You are a professional burglar, impersonator, escapologist, and hacker. You have been educated in various forms of martial arts. You are familiar with a variety of weapons. Your knowledge of the underground world could fill an entire library. Miss Kyle is useful for thievery but you have too much to offer." I scrunch my brows in confusion,

"I'm not a hostage?"

"I never said you were, Miss Hughes." I can feel the blood rushing out of my face,

"…You're going to keep me here."

"You will be useful to me in due time. For now, you will remain under my supervision."

"And what happens when I'm not useful anymore, you'll kill me?" I could feel the words rush out of my mouth. My lungs feel heavy as I find it harder to breath.

"Do not indulge your imagination too much, Miss Hughes." He says in a playful tone. A meaty hand signals the minion behind him to come forth.

"Show Miss Hughes her room then feed her. I want her back here in one hour. Also remove the restraints; I am sure our guest will not be making any rash choices. "

"Yes, sir." Barsad says with a nod of his head. I stand and hold out my hands as he cuts through them with a dagger.

* * *

The room is a lot better than what I imagined. Instead of dilapidated, moldy smelling, and rat infested everything was pristine, orderly, and someone must've sprayed lavender scented febreeze. But the overall color of the room is a boring, lifeless grey. Barsad let me walk around freely within the confined space. There are no windows. The ceiling is rather low, perhaps seven or eight feet above the floor. A twin-sized bed frame occupies the farthest corner from the entrance; sheets and a blanket are folded on top of the mattress. Opposite to the bed is another door. Other than that the room is entirely empty.

"No TV, no computer, not even books or magazines…you're awful kidnappers," I say

"Food, water, and clothes will be brought to you. There will be guards outside the door, they are ordered to kill you should you try escaping."

"Try? If I want to escape I will, love." Barsad exhales through his nose wearily. I take his momentary silence to look over his features. His hair is a short, black, messy heap upon his head. His eyes are a dark brown and the skin underneath his bottom lashes is awfully murky, as if he hadn't slept well for years. His build is the absolute opposite of the big guy. Though slim, he maintains enough muscle, I assume, for combat purposes. I wonder if I can take him on?

"Please. Miss Hughes. Don't cause any trouble," he says as if knowing I wanted to attack him,

"I won't hesitate to kill you." With that said he urges me out the room closing the door behind him. Barsad hadn't bothered blindfolding my eyes when he brought me here, which probably means they really do plan on killing me later. I certainly wouldn't let someone know the layout of my house if I planned on freeing them. I can see the route from here to the large open space with the waterfall. I note all of the other corridors we had passed-any of them could be an exit. Every bone in my body is screaming at me to clock this dude and take off. But I'm absolutely sure that even if I got out of this place the masked man would find me-he seems like the ubiquitous type. For now I'll stick around and find out what these guys are up to.

Barsad takes me into a small crude cafeteria area filled with a musky smelling and rude-looking species. Men. Oddly very few wore the militant uniforms; most are dressed in casual street clothes. Maybe the ones in uniform are the real deal and everyone else are just extras. Barsad takes a hold of my forearm and pulls me close,

"Whoa, what do you think you're doing?" I sneer,

"I'm assuring your safety, Miss Hughes," he says bluntly

"I can take care of myself." And I shrug his hand away. I've had to deal with men all my life and I fear none of them-other than the masked man. What living thing with a brain wouldn't be afraid of him?

"Why does my safety matter?" I query and continue towards, what looks like, a buffet line.

"What use are you if not in peak condition?" Barsad remarks.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the lovely reviews! Also I apologize for not updating sooner, I kind of had a little writer's block going on. But now that my creative juices are flowing I will be sure to have the next two chapters out soon :)


	5. Chapter 5

_Past_

"What about Aamir?" Maria said,

"No," Talia replied dully,

"Amal?"

"No."

"Basim?"

"No."

"Gafar?"

"No." Maria sucked her teeth,

"You're not helpin' Talia!" she yelled,

"I toldya a name."

"We're not namin' a man Jamila! Thatsa lady's name!"

"Well then I got nothin' else to say." Talia snapped. Maria sighed in frustration and continued going through lists of names in her mind. It had to represent their friend in the best way. It had to be perfect. For the past few nights the man came to them in the cover of darkness and conversed with them. He was a nice person, in Maria's delusion.

He had spoken calmly and kindly to them. And yes, though he was a massive, callous man Maria couldn't understand what there was to be afraid of. She paced around her small cell, having become restless, trying to come up with a suitable alias. Sometimes she sat near the barred cell wall, observing the prisoners as her brain worked. Their cell was a few floors high- away from the center of the pit where the majority of inmates hung about. She noticed a group of them gathered in a circle, and though spoke quietly her keen hearing was able to depict few words.

"Can't belive…workin' with the…low lives." Spoke a prisoner with a hispanic lisp.

"Well…off then…" another said,

"Look…gonna…off we…focused…" intervenes another with a deep Moroccan accent.

"If we had…this would…breeze."

"Psh, as…bane…existence." Upon hearing this the group began laughing. And Maria had paid special attention to the word bane. 'What does that mean?' she wondered. She said it aloud a few times. It had a cool tone to it. It was a name that bestowed power; something that would have a lingering effect on people even after its long gone.

The man came that night and he sat outside the cell door as usual and called to the children. As soon as they were situated in front of him he asked,

"So, have you chosen a name yet?" Maria grinned with pride and nodded her head. The man's eyes brightened with curiosity and Talia looked upon her sister in annoyance. Why wasn't she aware of her sister's conclusion?

"Your name is Bane." There was a silence. The man tilted his head, as his brows scrunched in confusion; his arms folded in denial.

"Bane?" he repeated and Maria nodded her head again. Talia tested the name on her tongue and for once agreed to her sister's choice. To her the name was dominant.

"Little one… I don't think you know what bane means." The man said delicately

"Of course I know!" she lied,

"It means big, strong, and kind, like you." 'Kind? The child thinks I'm kind?' the man thought. Perhaps he should've told them what Bane meant. It was a nefarious and destructive word, but was that not his true nature? Everyone knew him as a vicious killer, they were frightened of him, he was the carnage incarnate prisoners submitted to, a demon that terrorized them in their nightmares. Does he deserve to feel so highly of this child's naïve opinion? He didn't even recognize how profound the child's foolishness affected him. For the first time, in the entirety of his miserable life, someone thought positive of him. He was three times the child's size yet she thinks him kind.

She valued him as a human being.

He was her friend.

And his whole body, especially his heart and soul, warmed with an emotion he never knew existed.

"I-I'm sorry, if ya don' like it I'll think of a 'nother one, please don' cry." Maria pleased anxiously. The man swiped a hand across his cheeks and chuckled with amusement. He seriously was crying, even as a child he never did that.

"I love the name you've chosen for me, little one."


	6. Chapter 6

_Present_

The moment he saw her he had a gut feeling they had met before. He remembers how those imprudent pawns dragged her and the Gotham police commissioner into his domain. It was reckless of them to bring the commissioner, and they were dealt the ultimate punishment, but why they brought the woman he couldn't understand.

And he is somewhat glad they did, she would certainly be a useful tool for their plans. And as he sits on his bed, simply contemplating, he wonders what was it that made Raja Hughes so familiar. Calculative chocolate eyes, smooth brown skin, tight curly ebony hair that nearly touches her lower backside, small reddish brown lips; her curvy figure was quite prominent in such a dark leather body suit.

She is strikingly appealing. Perhaps those pawns captured her just to ravish her. And the thought of their grimy hands upon Raja upset him greatly. Why? He didn't know. Raja reminds of him of someone, a child he once knew. A child he hadn't seen in so long, and with no picture to retain her appearance, he could barely recall her most noticeable features.

He hadn't spoken her name since the day he accepted he'd never see her again. Twelve years ago he began his own search for the child, even though her own sister deemed his efforts worthless; she is convinced her sister is dead. And that morbid thought did cross his mind sometimes but he psychologically denied such a twisted fate.

Complying with that horrible truth would prove that he failed as her protector and as her friend. He'd seen so many doppelgangers, but they all missed a vital piece that is so significant to the child's character. Raja is another look-alike but he been put it out of mind that she could be the one. The child he knew was so kind and compassionate; she would never have what it takes to become what Raja is.

"Sir!" Barsad, almost, shouts. His head snaps up, eyes glaring at his second-in-command for disturbing his train of thought.

"I've brought back the woman."

"It seems I'm not the only one who likes to think." Raja says mockingly. The masked man looks to the woman,

"Sit down," he tells her, waving his hand towards the chair close to his bed. She sucks her teeth and crosses her arms; openly expressing she didn't want to follow orders, though she obeys anyway.

"How are your memories?" he immediately asks. When she did not answer right away he presumes she is considering his question-an action she does often. And it is a good habit to have.

She is not impulsive.

During his first session with Raja he could tell her eyes were attempting to dissect him, like a curious scientist examining a new specimen. Though she still remained clueless to his true identity, and to his plans, it didn't change her capability to deduce his exterior character in a matter of minutes. She knows he wouldn't harm her unnecessarily, but completely understands he is no force to be reckoned with.

Even with all her skills, defeating him would be no easy task. And if Raja is truly as patient as he believes her to be, she would not attempt to escape. Not in such unfamiliar territory. And if her curiosity is as critical as a cat's, then he knows, for a fact, she would unveil his plans eventually.

"It's a simple question." Barsad says, blandly, and the masked man hears her suck her teeth in annoyance. He smirks as she asks a question on top of his own.

"Why do you ask?" he decides to indulge her,

"I am rather meddlesome, and my curiosity must be quenched."

"If you tell me who you are I might quench your thirst to know." He ignores this request.

"Deny me, if I am wrong, but before you came to Gotham at the age of twelve you did not exist." He watches her countenance go through a series of expressions that'd go unnoticed by the untrained eye. Her eyes and brows widen as her lips slightly part in shock. Anger overtakes her, then, as a fierce flame ignites in those eyes, and her lips come together in a furious pout. He could depict confusion, as well as aggravation, within the flame. And just as quickly her previous façade returns, as if she never stopped smiling. But he knows this calm composure is gradually breaking in his presence-and he would make sure it broke entirely.

"I'll give you a name. Its not fair I have one and you don't." Raja says, causing the giant to frown in disdain. His patience is limited. And the masked man does acknowledge that she is useful but he would not hesitate to kill her before she got the absurd suggestion that her usefulness is enough to keep her alive.

"Bane. That's what I'll call you." he makes no reaction, even though she had, literally, said his name aloud. Barsad's eyes widen in surprise; he didn't tell her his identity.

"And why such a name?" he queries,

"Isn't it obvious. You're the Bane of my existence."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. As for your earlier question it is true that I have a little memory problem. Honestly I don't know how I ended up in Gotham. One day I woke up in Gotham General and have been here ever since." Amnesia, huh, the masked man thinks. He wonders if it would be beneficial to restore these memories.

"I apologize for interrupting sir," one of his legit soldiers says, as he walks into the area. Barsad turns to him,

"What is it?"

"During the shoot out we lost our hacker."

"What?" the masked man sneers.

"It was instantaneous, right through the temple.," the soldier continues. Barsad looks to his leader, awaiting his orders. This next operation required the hacker, and it takes place in exactly two days. Raja squirms in her seat, well aware what he is thinking.

"Its seems you have the chance to prove your worth, Miss Hughes."

* * *

A/N: OMG! I haven't updated this in so freaking long! So sorry for those who are following this, honestly I put this story aside for a little bit to work on another, but I promise I'll work on it from now on. I'm actually kind of excited for you guys/gals to find out what goes on next.


	7. Chapter 7

_Past_

One day Maria and Talia's mother confronted them in the late afternoon. She came to them with knowing eyes and simply asked,

"You've made a new friend." Maria shifted nervously where she stood,

"We did." Talia responded unwaveringly with no regret in her eyes. She believed her mother to be too protective of them. The child often wondered when she would realize that this hole is their reality and that being locked in a room would not stop the monsters outside from barging in. Talia understood that the man's alliance meant protection from everyone else-therefore freedom from this small space. Maria was interested in the sentimental aspect of having the man as a friend;

"'is name is Bane." Maria said.

"Am I allowed to meet Bane?" their mother questioned,

"'course ya can, momma!" and when the sun finally settled and the night sky covered the pit in darkness the man came but this time, instead of just the children, their mother sat beside them.

"Hello." He said cautiously, would she tell him to go away?

"My children really like you," the woman begun, not a comment he was expecting.

"They think of you as a friend…are they your friends?" the answer left his lips before he could even contemplate them,

"They are my friends." The word felt strange to him. He'd never had a living, breathing, friend. The closest thing that could have been his friend was a small stuffed toy he named Osito, but he's older now and doesn't need it for hiding shivs anymore.

"And you'd protect them, even at the cost of your life." Her eyes were stern.

This was a statement she wanted him to consider deeply. Bane could barely remember when he came to this pit. Snatched from his home in Santa Prisca, forced to remain in this hell until he died in the place of a man he never seen nor knew; this cruel reality was all he ever knew until he met them

\- his lights in the darkness, his saviors, the beings that touched his heart and allowed him his humanity back.

"I'll give my whole soul for them." He said in a hushed tone, not quite fathoming the impact these children have had on his miserable life. The mother smiled, that was all she needed to hear.

For the first time, since they were born, their bare feet stepped outside of the cell door. The doctor had come for their weekly check up, and due to the beast lingering around no other dared to venture near. So when the children stepped out into the corridor they couldn't help but run-not understanding the possible consequences of such actions. Bane followed behind them closely, caught completely off guard, and the mother's heart pounded against her chest as she yelled for them to come back.

And the children laughed.

They laughed and ran, until strong arms scooped them up and held them.

"Do you two realize what you've done?" Bane queried, and their responses were giggles. What was there to fear when their guardian watched over them so vigilantly? He took them back to the doctor, who lectured on and on about the dangers of the outside.

"We don' need to be scared anymore, 'cause Bane is here." Maria conveyed proudly, and smiled at her friend.

His cheeks warmed.

"And what happens if Bane can't protect you?" the doctor questioned.

"You doubt me, doctor?" Bane intruded.


	8. Chapter 8

_Present_

If I were getting paid I'd do this project faithfully. But since I have no choice, neither is money involved, it's only natural that I would tinker with their plans. Yesterday the giant inquired of my memories. Part of it is true but wherever he got his information on me is definitely not accurate. I lost my memories at ten years old and never got to the United States until two years later, where I ended up in Gotham General for an injury.

I grew up with really nerdy archeologists and they took great care of me until my sixteenth year. They were old when they got me and time finally caught up with them. I doubt he would care about these details and since I have no intention on dying it'd be foolish of me to give away all my business. I know if I stay here they'll kill me, which is why this "trip" to the Gotham Stock Exchange is muy importanté.

Apparently, with Bruce Wayne's fingerprints, Bane wants the wealthiest man in Gotham bankrupt. Fortunately for me this isn't the first time I've made a few people go broke through the power of hacking. I already have an established algorithm, on a little usb hard drive that Barsad was nice enough to fetch from my home. With a laptop on my bed, and while I stuff myself with popcorn (which I had to nag for five minutes to get) I tweak the program to my liking.

I'll do exactly what the big man wants of me, but he'll also get a little surprise-one he certainly won't like.

* * *

Barsad came for the program at midnight. Much to his dismay, this child of mine is not leaving my grasp.

"I'm going with you."

"You're staying here miss-"

"-Stop calling me miss! I'm not a freaking old lady! And this is my algorithm, I will be the one to handle it!"

"It has already been decided Hughes."

"Take me to Bane."

"The decision was the boss's."

"Take me anyway." Barsad huffs and runs a hand through his short hair.

"I won't stop bothering you until you do." I add, which causes him to roll his eyes and tap the blue tooth on his left ear.

"Boss…the girl wants to see you…she's being very insistent…understood sir." He takes off the walkie-talkie strapped to his belt and hands it to me.

"What is the issue miss Hughes?" his voice is no less commanding now than in person, which is why I don't complain about him calling me miss.

"I'm coming too. And don't say no." I say, as forwardly as I could to a man whose supremacy is equivalent to darth vader.

"Enlighten me." He says.

"I'll handle my own program. It'll take less time if I do and if your men screw it up there won't be second chances. Gotham PD will have the place watched twenty four seven if this isn't done right the first time." Silence follows my explanation. I look to Barsad, busy messing with a small rubix cube surely having been hidden somewhere in all those pockets on his uniform.

"Very well. If you feel confident then I will allow it. However, if you try anything out of bounds, I will kill you. Do you understand miss Hughes?" He's says kill so nonchalantly, as if its no different than telling someone to wipe the ketchup stain off the side of their mouth.

"Yeah, I understand." I comply, even though the whole point of me going is to escape.

"We leave at 1200." And his voice doesn't return.

* * *

The whole plan is mapped out in my mind perfectly; Barsad spent four hours going over it with me, and just to annoy him I asked, politely, for him to repeat it several times. At eleven in the morning we have an hour to prepare. Two men will leave at eleven thirty, three men along with me and Bane would leave at noon-all of us on motorcycles.

I still don't know exactly where I am, but Barsad said the Stock Exchange is at the other side of the city, so the trip would be at least half an hour-not including traffic. The three men would be let in through the backdoors, to get the motorcycles out of sight. Bane and I would make a grand entrance through the main doors. Once I set the program and begin its downloading process, between all the noise and panic my little surprise will create, it would be the best opportunity to slip out of the giant's grasp.

He'd have to catch me to kill me, right?

And at exactly noon Bane fetches me himself. I'm slipping on an ugly black jumpsuit and boots (the woes of being a prisoner), when he walks in. By twelve fifteen I'm sitting on a sports bike, having to sit in front of the giant since I'd certainly fall off if I sat behind him- these kinds of bikes aren't meant for two people.

Luckily I'm slim, so its not too uncomfortable-until we actually start moving. He wears a red helmet that covers his entire head, mine of the same design but black, and thanks to it no one has to see my horrified expression as we speed through narrow streets and weave dangerously between cars-barely slowing down at all. When we finally stop, immediately, I'm on all fours on the ground, never having been so happy to feel it.

"We do not have the luxury of time." Bane says, as he gets off the bike.

"Yeah, yeah." I sneer and follow after him into the building. I'd been in this place many times, in many different disguises. I know the whole layout of the place. We get to security; I didn't even get through the metal detector when Bane suddenly beats the hell out of and kills all the guards surrounding the area.

"Well shit, could've warned me we were killing people." He just glares at me then motions for me to come. When we reach the actual stock exchange area, chaos has already ensued. His lackeys are shooting automatics in the air, causing everyone to scream and obey their command to kneel. One of the lackeys rushes up to me, handing me a small black pouch.

"This is a stock exchange. There's no money you can steal from here!" some poor guy tells Bane.

"Really? Then why are you people here?" then a smash and crack rings throughout the room.

"You're set to go ma'am." The lackey says,

"Please, don't call me ma'am." I'm only twenty-six for god's sake!

The programs progression can be seen and maintained on a small touch screen tablet with a router. Bane puts in the access code for the whole buildings network system-obtained from the dude whose skull got banged in. I pick a random computer and plug in the drive allowing it to do its job.

"Where's the prints?" the lackey hands me a tiny manila envelope. After spilling out its contents I use the tablet to scan Wayne's prints.

"Done," I hand him the tablet.

"When the time stops the download is finished."

"Alright. But why are you giving it to me?"

"Because of this." And the fire alarm goes off and the sprinkles come to life. With this brief moment of confusion, as the people scream and begin to scramble around, I merge into the crowd forcing a stranger to give me his red jacket to cover my head. By the time gunshots are fired to calm the crowd I'm in the women's bathroom, popping off a few tiles within a certain stall and pulling out a box.

I change into formal clothes, put on a short reddish brown wig and circular, geeky, glasses. When I go back to the exchange room I copy the crowd and kneel, as low to the ground as possible. Surprisingly the giant spends no time concerned with me. His focus is entirely on the mission. The motorcycles are lined up at the main doors.

"They've cut the fibers sir. The network is still working."

"How much longer does the program need?"

"Eight minutes."

"…time to go mobile."

"What about the woman?"

"I will handle her later."

* * *

A handful of people stand in front of the bikes, and fewer were chosen to ride with Bane and his lackeys as hostages. The police won't shoot with innocent people in the way-clever man. When they finally take off, I go out the backdoors and easily blend in to the busy streets of downtown Gotham. As much as I want to go home, I know it's the first place they'll look.

Instead I wander around for hours. Waiting until ten at night to go to Selina's home, which they could've ransacked by now. When I arrive at the town house I sneak through the second floor bedroom window. All the lights are off and she's not in bed, neither is her blond friend around. I take off the wig and head downstairs to the kitchen hoping there's food in the fridge.

Yet out of this big cold box, the only thing left is a loaf of banana bread-not even cut into slices. I'm a picky person, but I haven't eaten all day so I take the whole thing and start eating it. I go into the living room to sit on the cushy love seat, and await her arrival. The spot is next to the window, overlooking the string of shops and cafes across the street.

Simply watching people pass by makes me drowsy.

* * *

My eyes snap open, and I curse at myself for falling asleep. There's a digital clock on top of the bookshelf directly across the seat. I've only slept for thirty minutes, and she's still not back.

"What the hell are you up to now?" I grumble and stare at the window again.

And that's when I notice him.

And my blood goes cold, and my heart throbs painfully. I didn't even get reaction time as a meaty hand grabs my hair and throws me to the side. I crash onto the floor, feeling an intense pang of pain pulse through my spine and pelvis. I don't allow myself to groan about it. Swiftly I'm on my feet and sprinting into the main hallway, rushing up the stairs.

My heart pounds faster and my nerves are on edge as I hear his thundering steps chase after me. Just as I'm running into the bathroom I'm grasped by the collar of my shirt, hauled into the air, and thrown against the wall. My vision goes blurry; my head is spinning on the inside. Bane is kneeling over me, one hand on my throat, squeezing.


	9. Chapter 9

_Past_

The doctor made a detrimental mistake this day.

Just as he was leaving the cell, having finished the children's physical exams, he forgot one massively important fact. By the time he realized his mistake it was too late. Maria and Talia were in their mother's arms when it happened.

She was in the middle of telling a story when the cell was engulfed by prisoners. The same ones Maria had seen months ago, conversing in a circle. They took their mother, dragged her out of the room, and just outside the door proceeded in ripping away her clothes. Talia grabbed a dagger and ran after her, stabbing one in the back repeatedly screaming at him to let her go.

And that's when Bane snatched her into his arms. The prisoner attempted to take on the beast, but was harshly kicked in the abdomen. The woman was dead within an hour. And her unfortunate children had to listen to her despairing screams the entire time. They tried to get the children again, but Bane wouldn't allow it. He fought them off, killing most of the group and making an example by ripping the head off of one man to deter any future attempts.

And there wouldn't be any for a while. That night, for the first time, Bane did not sleep in his cell. He had his arms wrapped around the children as they tried to sleep. Only Talia managed to drift into a deep slumber.

Maria continued to weep.

And her cries pained him, as if someone's fist was gripping his heart and squeezing. He did his best to calm her. He rubbed her back and smoothed her hair, actions he'd seen the mother do. She finally fell sleep, just as the sun was rising. And that's when he completely comprehended the gravity of this new role.

He wasn't just a friend anymore.

He had to care for and protect them now.

Talia did her best to remain strong for Maria. But sometimes she had to cry to. A week had passed since their mother's murder, and her screams still rang in the children's ears. The doctor still came, and his wrinkles were deeper and dark lines showed under his eyes. He rarely slept at all that week. Because of his carelessness, because he forgot to lock the cell door, these children had to rely on a demon to keep the other monsters at bay.

After the checkup he had to take another four morphine pills-the psychological ache was unbearable.

Bane finally got Maria to eat that day. It took two days to get Talia to eat again. And afterwards he bathed them and clothed them and as the moon rose into the sky tried to get them to sleep. He gave Osito to Maria, it helped slightly, and Talia felt most comfortable with the dagger under her pillow.

He staid up that night staring at their resting forms waiting to soothe them when the nightmares came.


	10. Chapter 10

_Present_

It is the look in her eyes that stops him.

And the only way such a small feature could do so is the absolute familiarity in her expression. This fear, he'd seen it before on a child's face. He'd seen it that horrible day, when he saw her for the last time. And here it is again; brown eyes wide and brows risen, lips trembling and trying to keep from sobbing, and flushed cheeks out of anger or grief-he could never tell.

His grip loosens until his whole hand is absent from Raja's neck. He couldn't do it. He couldn't kill her. Because she has that same look as the child's. And when she realizes her life is saved the tears flow from her eyes unrestrained. Bane stands, pulling her up with him. No words need to be said anymore. He takes the main door out the town house and she followed. He sits on his bike, just as his phone vibrates which he answers swiftly.

"What is it?" Barsad responds back,

"There's an issue with Daggott."

"On the way." He says and motions for Raja to join him but she doesn't move. She just stares at him, possibly thinking of why he spared her.

"Come, Raja." He says, purposefully not using her surname-after this odd incident there is no need to keep using her surname.

"Why am I still alive?" she questions, and unfortunately for her he didn't have a valid answer.

"I do not know. Now come, we must leave." She is hesitant, but joins him on the motorcycle. He could sense her fear clearly from this position. And he wouldn't have cared before, but now it somewhat pains him.

"You do not need to be afraid anymore." He tells her, and she sucks her teeth.

"You almost fucking killed me."

"I did."

"I should be afraid."

"But I do not want you to be." She doesn't respond. And as he turns on the engine, barely hears her silent sobbing.

* * *

She knew the situation was bad when the men continued to approach her, even though she held their employer by gunpoint. And she wasn't kidding about shooting him in the head-its nothing she hasn't done before. But despite her assurance that she would kill the weasel man they still came closer.

"They know," A deep, grunge, voice conveys,

"They just don't care." One comes at her and she shoots him point blank. She is no newbie to the batman's existence. When the caped vigilante joins her in the brawl she accepts his help with no complaints-until he knocks the glock out of her hand.

"No guns, no killing."

"Oh, where's the fun in that!" when the last man is on the ground, groaning in pain, gunfire comes from reinforcement. Batman leaps off the rooftop, and she runs after him. But before jumping she looks behind her, and instantly brown eyes meet her own.

The look in her friend's expression is hard to stare at.

"Raja." She whispers in disbelief, having thought these people would have killed her by now.

Nothing needed to be shouted, Selina knew Raja wanted her to go, to use the first chance to get the hell out of this city. She nods in understanding, and when seeing the relief in her friend's eyes leaps off the roof landing into a seat.

"My mother always told me never to get in a car with strange men." She says as she puts on her seatbelt.

"This isn't a car." And the machine roars to life, startling Selina. When the thing actually begins to rise she stares at the Batman in astonishment. 'Where does he get all this stuff!' She thinks. The hovercraft has a large window casing as a covering, she could easily see Raja from this height and a tear slips down her cheek.

At that moment she knew she couldn't just leave her behind.

* * *

It was one in the morning when they arrived to the tunnels. Bane leaves Raja to Barsad and goes back to his own area. As much as he wants to sleep, there is still much to be done. In the morning Bruce Wayne would wake up a penniless man. And still, it would not be enough to break him. But this situation was no different than any other he had dealt with. Batman rules the city, whether the Gothamites believe it or not, and once he's out of the equation conquering everyone else would be too easy. Bane goes over the mission splayed out on his desk.

It had to be perfect; there was no time for do overs.

"Sir." He glances over his shoulder and grunts, acknowledging Barsad presence.

"You should sleep."

"I will."

"I will make sure everything is in place for stage three. Not to be rude but no one likes the cranky side of you."

"Is that so," Bane stands from his chair,

"Selina Kyle knows Bruce Wayne, we will use her to lure the Batman here."

"Understood sir." Barsad leaves the giant to himself as he lies on the large cot. It takes no effort for him to fall asleep.

* * *

He hears the screams clear as day. And at first he thought it was a part of the dream, but when he opens his eyes and stands from his bed the screaming pursues. And what makes his heart clench is the familiar tone of it.

The high pitch wailing that, decades ago, he had to calm. He rushes to the scene, ending up in Raja's room. Two of his men are trying to calm her down, holding her in place as her body thrashes.

"Leave. I will handle this." He tells them and they obey without question. Bane closes the door and goes to the bed.

"Raja." He calls, but her screaming doesn't seize. He gets on the bed, wrapping arms around her firmly and keeping her in place.

"Listen to my voice Raja. You are having a nightmare. None of it is real. My voice is real. I am real. I am here for you. I will not leave you."

The words flow from his mouth automatically, since they are the same words he used to calm the child. Her screaming dies down. Her thrashing becomes slight twitches. Her sobbing becomes deep, slow, breaths.

And for the remainder of the early morning he remains with her.

* * *

A/N: Holy crap! it's been a while since i've updated-had to watch the dark knight over and over to figure out what the hell to do with the plot! But i guess its getting somewhere, right? Anyways i've, recently gotten a deviant art account. I haven't actually posted anything but its mostly experimental. If any of you are interested i can draw out my characters, if you want a visual of them. If the idea is interesting PM me or leave a review. My deviant account link is on my profile page. With that said, everyone have a lovely day!


	11. Chapter 11

_Past_

Maria and Talia followed closely behind Bane as they walked across the pit. They tried not to look at the crazed stares of the other prisoners, but it was hard not to when the stared so intensely. Normally they would be in their cell, but caught wind that someone had lighter fluid-and winter was closing in fast. It didn't snow, but in the winter the days were cold and the nights were frost-bite freezing.

Having a fire would be beneficial, especially to the children. Bane couldn't leave them alone to go fetch the item, and he didn't like that they had to come with him, but he wouldn't know what to do if they were in trouble and he couldn't get to them. It was easy finding the man with the lighter fluid. He tried to bargain with Bane. And to the man's defense he was a new prisoner so he didn't realize that you don't bargain with Bane. If he wanted something you gave it to him and if you didn't you died.

And that's what happened. He snapped the man's neck and took the fluid.

That night they had a fire. It wasn't big but it was warm. The children were pressed against Bane as he wrapped blankets around them.

"Teach me to kill." Talia said, all of sudden.

"Why?" he asked,

"I don' want to be afraid anymore." Maria stared at her sister.

"Its not that simple little one."

"Who was your first kill?" Bane glanced at her,

"I was your age the first time I killed someone. During those years… there's was a shortage in food. Many starved to death. One day, as food was lowered into the pit, I had managed to grab a few loaves of bread. A man came at me, and to protect what I had I stabbed in the chest many times. All I remember, after that, was feeling very…very numb." Maria took his hand,

"Sorry ya had to do that." He smiled at her. Somehow, despite everything she'd seen she still maintains this sense of innocence. Talia, however, was whom he worried over. Everyday she seemed to become darker. They had to keep their innocence. It is what allowed him redemption. Their pure souls were to be prized, like precious jewels.

"Your hands don't need to be tainted with blood Talia. That is why I am here."


	12. Chapter 12

_Present_

People are screaming, but I can't see their faces. I see nothing but dizzying colors- everything is a blur. Their screams, their rage, rings in my ears. Their voices are distorted, not entirely human. Flashes of dark and gritty hues gradually slick closer to me as someone tugs on my arm,

"Come on!" her voice yells repeatedly. But I can't go. A small spark of blue light swarmed by anger and agony becomes dimmer. My heart pounds against my ribcage painfully. My body trembles and my blood and my skin become icy cold despite the heat of wrath surrounding me. Tears rush out my eyes and down my cheeks.

"Come on! He's gone, there's nothin' we can do _!" she yells. But I can't go. I had to save that small speck of blue. I had to at least reach for it, hoping it would take my hand. I couldn't leave it behind. But the speck fades into nothing.

She tugs on my arm. But I can't go. And the rage swarms me, ripping into my skin, sinking its teeth into my bones. I scream and try to get them off me, but how do you grasp colors? The pain is excruciating, as if flesh-eating ants are feasting on my insides. Their screams are now thundering roars. And just when I thought I could take no more. Just when I wish for death, a soft voice calls out to me, somehow drowning out the unbearable noise.

"Listen to my voice _. You are having a nightmare," it speaks and I cling desperately to the calmness in its tone.

"None of it is real. My voice is real. I am real. I am here for you. I will not leave you." And suddenly the murky colors surrounding me shriek and disappear completely. But now everything is silent and darkness is all I see in all directions. Oddly, this blackness isn't frightening. My skin warms and the pain evaporates. I can feel an immense comfort wrapping close to me, reassuring me that this dark place is safe. There is no fear here.

"Come on!" I hear her voice yell once more, but this time, as she pulls me to her, I go.

* * *

I wake to arms around my abdomen and hot breathe blowing along the top of my head and a very warm, almost hot, body pressed close to me. I feel awfully weary, as if I ran a twenty-mile marathon. There's sweat everywhere, and if that's not disgusting enough there's a bit of snot running down my nose. I rub at my cheeks. I'd been crying-something I rarely do. I wonder if the man holding me is Barsad. As I turn my head to get a look at the male who has the balls to do such a pervert action, my heart almost stops at the sight of the giant sleeping beside me. He must've felt my surprise, as his eyes open and stare into mine. His hold loosens, and I'm off the bed in a heartbeat,

"Why are _you_ here?" he sits up and stretches his shoulders and arms, taking his sweet time. Then stands.

"You had a nightmare." He says, walking closer to me, and I back away as he does.

"Why are you _here_?" I sneer this time.

"You were screaming."

"Don't come any closer!" he ignores me. I hold out my arms and feel his body press against my hands.

"Stop! Stay away." He's too close now.

"Look at me Raja."

"No." I refuse. And a callous hand grasps my mandible.

"Look. At. Me." I suck my teeth and comply.

"What did you dream?"

"…"

"I will _not_ ask again."

"…I…I don't know how to put it."

"Try."

"Everything was blurry and…"

"And."

"And there was screaming and so much negative energy. I couldn't see her face. But I heard her. And she was begging me to follow her, but I couldn't at first. Not without …"

"…Go on."

"I, I don't remember the rest."

"Do not lie to me." He says gravely,

"Why do you care?" I snap,

"You were screaming incredibly loud."

"And why do you care?"

"…who could you not leave behind?"

"Answer me!" I shout, and a hand slams into the wall exactly to the left of my head causing me to flinch in horror. His mask presses against my lips, as his eyes bore dangerously into mine, and an odd thought occurs to me at the moment. Did he sleep with the mask on?

"Whom could you not leave behind?" Bane says again in a lower, sinister, tone. My breath won't leave my body, not while he's this close.

"She begged me to come but I couldn't go. I was trying to reach for something. The screaming got louder and there was nothing I could do but watch these swarms of ugly colors attack something…and… I couldn't do anything to save it," It takes everything in me not to cry. I'd never felt such hopelessness, not even when Bane nearly killed me.

"I don't know what it was. But it hurt me, like a bunch of bees stung me kind of hurt, to see it go away." I look for some kind of sign in his eyes; something to indicate that this torture session is over. Instead his hand leaves the wall so knuckles could brush against my cheek. He whispers something, though it sounds more like a heavy sigh due to the mask.

"What?" I question. But I don't get an answer. He takes a few paces back; his knuckles linger on my face. Bane observes me; his eyes search for a reaction-I don't know what else he wants from me. His eyes slightly widen, as if he's prepared to say what's on his mind, but then he turns and leaves the room. I breathe in deeply and sink to the floor. I have to get the hell out of here.

"Breakfast." It's Barsad who enters with a tray. A streaming bowl of oatmeal and chopped fruits are placed on the bed.

"I hate oatmeal." And Bane.

"The next meal won't be until the afternoon. And what are you doing on the floor?"

"I'd rather starve." I chose to ignore his question and he doesn't probe any further-surprisingly.

"Unfortunate for us, the boss commands that I can't leave until you've eaten the whole bowl."

"…Why didn't he kill me?" his answer is immediate.

"Don't know. The fact that your still here has all the guys confused, even me. I was sure you were a walking corpse after that stunt you pulled at the stock exchange. I should be asking what _you_ did to keep your life." I stand and sit on the bed.

"I didn't do anything, believe or not." And I pick up the bowl, grimacing at the contents within it. Of all the things to make and they make oatmeal, someone shoot me in the face-please.

"Perhaps its not your actions that stopped him." Barsad says as he leans against the closed door.

"What do you mean?"

"It's a theory but…I think you remind him of someone he once knew. Someone he was fond of."

"Who do I remind him of?" Barsad looks me in the eyes.

"Someone he lost."

* * *

Barsad leaves me alone in this claustrophobic space for hours, and it wouldn't be torturous if I had nothing to think about. And I thought of Selina and that crazy ass dream and, of course, Bane. I cringe when thinking about that night on the rooftop of Daggot's industry. I couldn't scream out to her what I needed to say, all I could hope was that she knew me well enough to know what I was thinking-to read the warning in my eyes.

And she nodded to my hint to get the hell out of Gotham but I knew she wouldn't go from how she stared back at me with watery eyes. We'd been friends for a very long time. We'd been partners in thieving for years, even before we were friends. I trust her more than anyone else. And I hate that our bond is too strong for her to let go. I remember Bane looking down at me,

"What are you going to do with me?" I asked, and he just continued to stare. His eyes drift to the side, as if in thought, and than he just turns and walks away. I decided then that I'd kill him, don't know how yet, but I will. It's officially on my bucket list. As for the weird nightmare, I have no words just…emotions. Oddly these emotions seem so personal and familiar that I'm beginning to think that it wasn't just a dream.

I lost track of how many hours went by, but I assume its nighttime when Barsad comes back with a tray of chicken legs, mashed potatoes, and asparagus.

"Eat up." He says in that indifferent tone. And, for once, I don't complain.

"How did you and Bane meet?" I question with honest interest.

"It's a long story."

"I like stories."

"Its none of your business."

"Come on, you don't have to give me all the details." He rolled his eyes.

"The first time I saw him was in England. I was supposed to kill him but…things changed."

"What changed?"

"I answered your question. Now answer one of mine."

"Alright, fair trade."

"You were daughter to a wealthy man and woman. Surely you received a hefty inheritance when they died. So why did you become a thief? You could've been something legit and still make a lot of money."

"…I became a thief because it felt legit to me," finally I evoke an emotion out of Barsad. His brows lift and eyes become attentive in pure curiosity.

"I'm not a fan of playing pretend. I know how the world is. And I refuse to be a part of a society that chooses to be ignorant to all the chaos taking place around them."

"So you chose to be a thief to reject society."

"I chose this life because nothing is sugar coated."

"I agree. But…there are some nice things about being ignorant to reality."

"Oh really."

"As the saying goes there's bliss in ignorance."

* * *

A/N: Yay updates!


	13. Chapter 13

_Past_

Talia was seven years old when she felt the hilt of her dagger sink deep into a man chest's for the tenth time. Maria was beside her, paralyzed by what almost happened to her. Bane had to pull Talia away and force the knife out of her hand. All eyes were on them, since the dead body and the three were in the middle of the pit.

He felt ashamed.

He turned his back for one moment, and this child kills someone.

"He-he-he was…he was going to..." Talia tried to speak,

"Maria, he was, to Maria." She began to cry.

"Come Maria." Bane said and she obeyed.

It all happened so fast, perhaps in mere seconds. Bane turned his back to get them food. The no name man pounced onto Maria, and Talia used her dagger-that had become her second skin-to defend her sister.

But she didn't just kill the man.

She stabbed him in the chest ten times.

For a child to stab a grown man in the chest, each time the hilt of the knife-digging deep into his flesh, ten times; it was unheard of. She wasn't just killing him. She was making a statement that kept most prisoners at bay for some time. She was not to be messed with.

Ultimately he felt shame but he couldn't help the bloom of pride rising in his heart.

She was a true survivor.

Unfortunately Maria was not.

The child was so timid and, sometimes, aloof to her surroundings whenever her conscious fled to some other world Bane did not know. What could've happened to Maria, if Talia did not jump to action, would not just ruin her-there would be no innocence to save. He had to be more vigilant. He could not lose his only hope of redemption-otherwise there would be nothing left of him to save.


	14. Chapter 14

_Present_

There are very few things that, without a doubt, will have me on the bridge to insanity. One happens to be that horrid game Flappy Bird; the other is losing precious sleep. And that's exactly what's happening- in fact, I can't fall asleep at all. None of the meditation techniques, that always make me drowsy, are working. Simply lying down and closing my eyes was a terrible idea because all I could think about was how I'm trapped here.

But it wasn't as bad as the pacing. I must've paced for hours and not only did I not become tired, my conscious seemed to release this sudden flood of thoughts-all of them having to do with the masked man.

Where did he come from?

Why is he here in Gotham?

Why does he have so many scars on his body?

What the hell is he eating to keep him so large?

Does he take off the mask to eat, to shower, to sleep?

Why does he wear the damn thing anyway?

Is it meant to make him look menacing?

Maybe it hides the fact that half his face is missing, it can't possibly be some kind of villainous fashion statement. I think the only statement he cares about is whether his appearance instills fear. And it most certainly does. I've never been afraid of anyone as much as I'm terrified of the giant. Of all the years amassing the skills to get myself out of sticky situations and one man proves my efforts worthless.

He's made a prisoner of me so easily; it makes me feel like a tiny mouse forced to play along with a cat's teasing game before it snaps its neck. How long will it be when Bane finally tires of me? And the most important question, how the hell do I get of out here before that climatic moment?

I sit with my back against the room door, fretting over the massive change in my life. Yeah, I'm a thief. But, unlike Selena, I always take on tasks that I, at least, have a ninety percent chance of surviving in one piece, even if I'm caught. Nope, I let myself get dragged down to her level, somehow succumbed to those big brown pleading eyes.

I don't even know what she's after so desperately that she's willing to work with these people. And, clearly, the plan backfired. She had to have known they would try to kill her. He almost killed me, but stopped, for reasons still obscured. Barsad told me I might've reminded him of someone. And the way he, rather forcefully, inquired of my dream-as if it had some importance.

I shudder, remembering how I woke up with his body pressed against mine as well as the sensation of warm gentle fingers stroking along my face, as if trying to find a connection within me by skin contact. That's not something a captor does to his prey. Maybe its something a father would do- my father certainly slept with me many times when I-a small child then-couldn't find the courage to rest in my own bed, out of fear the monsters beneath it would surface while my guard was down and devour me.

But I would dare say this is more similar to boyfriend behavior. And I would jump over a bridge into rushing water before letting this man get the absurd idea that I could become his girlfriend. The thought disgusts me, yet also peeks my curiosity. It's not a talent I like to use, because-though I love deceiving people-I don't particularly like toying with a man's passion.

They would never admit it, but the topic of affection is highly sensitive. And, depending on the man, messing with his emotions can be easy or downright war of the worlds dangerous. I have a feeling Bane is the latter, but if fueling whatever interests he has in me keeps me alive then I won't hesitate to do what I must.

A tinge of hope bubbles in me. I can do this. I can get out of this mess. And when I do, I swear on my unborn child that I'm leaving Gotham for good. This city has a strange way of grasping its roots into you. Despite the corruption and filth and constant trouble, there's still a warped beauty to it.

I am a criminal, and criminals thrive in places like Gotham, just as the Joker-that psychopath-did eight years ago. This also happens to be where I grew up. I know Gotham better than any other place in the world. And the city does have its areas drenched in red, but, other than the rich peoples neighborhood which reek of perversion, there are areas dazzling with innocence-such is where I was raised.

This city has kept me in its clutches for years, even when I had all the right reasons to go. All I know is I want to be as far as possible from the masked man whenever I get the chance, especially if he's setting roots here. Whatever he's up to I want no part of.

* * *

Barsad comes with breakfast, but this time it isn't oatmeal (thank god). It's a simple crescent, a bowl of grapes, and a glass of orange juice. I stare curiously at the cup; they never gave me glass, all the dishes were-usually- either plastic or paper.

"You didn't sleep well." He says, clearly seeing the reddish hue in my sclera and the darkening lines under my eyes. I suck my teeth and take the tray from him.

"You have a nightmare?"

"No. I, literally, stayed up all night. You know what that does to a woman?"

"Makes you, obviously, cranky. By the way, you have a visitor." I pop a grape in my mouth. A visitor?

"Who?"

"You'll see."

After finishing the small breakfast-and I'm glad it was small, I wasn't really in the mood for eating much-Barsad leads me out of the room, nodding to the guards posted at my door, and guides me along a gloomy corridor. After many turns and going up stairways, we reach the designated room. And there is the masked man, Bane, leaning against the doorframe.

"You've got three minutes." Barsad says and pushes me forward. I look back at him, pleading with my eyes for him to follow me. Don't let me near the beast unguarded. But he has the same expression when I first saw him-completely blank. I swallow nervously and step closer to the door, therefore closer to Bane. Those dull eyes look to me as I approach him.

"Good morning." he greets heartily, though I know he can tell I'm not glad to see his face-again. I don't reply, more curious of whose behind this door than what game Bane is playing this time. I grasp the handle, twisting it, and cautiously push the door wide. The room is smaller than my own, with a rectangular metal table in the middle, an empty flip chair before me and across the table is my visitor.

"Selina?!"

"Keep in mind Raja. You have three minutes." The masked man states blandly before pushing me further into the room and closing the door; Selina stands but doesn't move.

"I'm so, so sorry Raja." She says faintly,

"Don't blame yourself Selina." I convey, knowing she has a tendency to self-incrimination. I want to hug her and smooth her hair and say that I'm okay, even though I'm losing my freaking mind. But we have three minutes and we can't waste them apologizing to one another. She sits as well and folds her arms against her chest.

"So, why are you here?" I query.  
"They caught me."

"You didn't let them catch-"

"-me being here is not intentional. They were going to kill me but… but I confessed that I knew the Batman. I told them I could bring him here in exchange for my life and…and you."

"Selina. You honestly think they're going to let us go? We know too much."

"I don't want to die Raja. And I can't let you die. Its my fault you're here."

"He's not going to kill me," Her brows scrunch in question. It's a farfetched statement but I know for a fact that the masked man plans to keep me around longer than Selina.

"You do what you have to. But when the time comes for you to go, don't wait for me. Don't try to save me. Just go. I can handle myself," Because she has no chance surviving any more encounters with Bane. She parts her lips to speak but I silence her with the point of my finger.

"Promise me."

"I…I promise."

"Good. So, how the hell do you know the Batman?" she rolls her eyes at the title,

"Long story short, he-kind of- saved me. But he happens to have a friend that I know quite well."

"A friend?"

"Bruce Wayne."

"What! Get the fuck out! Are you serious!" a smug smirk graces her lips.

"Dead serious."

"How the hell did you get close to mister billionaire? Wait, don't answer that we don't have time for gossip. I need to know if you have any clue what these guys are up to."  
"All I knew is that they needed Wayne's fingerprints, which they got. I'm just as in the dark as you about anything else. But…I have a feeling."

"A feeling?" she leans in close and lowers her tone to a whisper. Now that it comes to mind this room could be bugged. But I have a feeling the masked man doesn't need to use sneaky devices. Not when he can use intimidation to get all the answers he needs.

"You remember the Joker eight years ago? He had the all of Gotham in the palm of his hands. No one could stop him but the Batman, right? I think these guys need to get rid of the Batman. I think they want to takeover the city, just as the Joker did." My blood goes cold. Why did that not occur to me? Why else would such a foreboding figure be here? Why else would they need all these men hidden underground? If Bane can kill the Batman this city, including the criminals and civilians, is doomed.

"You can't bring him the Batman Selina." The words flow from my mouth faster than I can think on them.

"Times up Hughes." Barsad barges in. I don't say another word. I follow Barsad out the room but he doesn't take me back to my prison. We stand before Bane.

"We are taking a trip to Daggott Industries."


	15. Chapter 15

_Past_

Another was doomed to hell. A dark skinned man, around Bane's age, was gradually lowered into the pit. Unlike most men, he didn't scream or cry in despair. He didn't struggle. Even when he was lowered onto the stone he stood in the same spot-not cowering away like most did. He had this severe stare that only a man with harden features could give.

Usually the prisoners swarmed newcomers, either killing them if a threat, or making a whore of them if weak. But no one moved, as if in awe of this strange human. Men brought here became beasts, but this man already had the presence of a beast. Maria, against Bane's wishes, was the first to do anything. She pushed and shoved in between frozen men and stepped closer to the newcomer, with Bane and Talia directly behind her. The man stared down at her, his lips stuck in a deep frown.

"Hello." She said. He didn't speak, just nodded.

"Maria." Her sister said urgently; Talia hated when Maria acted so impulsively.

"You can be our friend." The man's brows scrunched in question.

"Friend?" his voice matched his intense features, callous and baritone.

"My name is Maria. What's your name?"

"My name…" the man began hesitantly,

"My name is Baqir."

"That's enough Maria, come." Bane said, becoming nervous that the prisoners have snapped out of their stupor and are now chatting amongst themselves.

"We can protect each other." Maria assured the man, causing him to scoff,

"What could you protect, child?" she seemed more delicate than a flower.

"Okay, maybe I won't be much help, but its good to have friends, right?" she held out her hand for him to take.

Was she serious? The man had been condemned to this prison unjustly but life had always been a series of misfortunes. When he was lowered into the pit he was prepared to battle to his last breath. Instead, here he was in the presence of innocence in such a rotten place. Not knowing what to do he took the child's hand and let her lead him away.


	16. Chapter 16

_Present_

The trip to Daggott Industries had the potential to be deafly silent, were it not for the van's humming motor and the occasional traffic sounds coming from the outside. And it's not that Bane minded silence, but his captive had been quiet the entire ride. He knew the meeting with her friend had affected her and hopefully they both got the message from it-there is no escaping him and no amount of help will change that.

Barsad brings the black vehicle towards the rear of Daggott's massive skyscraper. Bane and Raja leave while Barsad remains. She follows behind him as he makes his way to a less obscure entrance into the building. Just as he is opening the found entrance he notices Raja kneeling near a pile of cardboard bundling something into her arms. As she comes closer to him, he sees it's a coal black cat, with a frail sickly thin body with patches of fur missing from its face-clearly it has seen bad days.

"It will die anyway. Put it back." He says, but doe eyes smile at him as her lips smooth into a graceful grin,

"_He _won't die. I'll take care of him." His brows rise at the sudden gentleness in her voice. She steps closer, so close he caught a sample of her rosy scent. He parts his lips, trying to refute her comment, but no words would form. He simply stares at her for a moment, wondering if he would ever be able to say no to her again-not while she reminded him of the small child he once knew.

"Very well." He murmurs and continues on. There would be other times to deal with Raja's new project. Just beyond the door is the main custodian supplies room. Past shelves of cleaning chemicals and boxes of supplies would be an elevator, specifically meant for janitors, with access to all floors including the very top of the tower.

He urges Raja along into the mechanical box, and pushes the button for the penthouse. As the machine ascends, Bane began to glimpse at Raja every time the ding-signaling the passing of another level-sounded. The woman cradles and coos at the cat, as if it's a baby. And each time he the ding went off a flash of the child he lost so many years before came to mind. He imagines the child would hold the cat the same way and be its caretaker even though he dismissed its existence. She glances at him with the same smiling eyes; does she realize how greatly that look unnerves him?

"He needs a name." why is she asking him this? He cared less if the thing has a title. And adding to his confusion, he contemplates what to call the cat-though he doesn't think long.

"Its name is Gato."

"Really? Gato."

"It is a nice name."

"You're just calling him 'cat' in another language." The elevator door slides open. They step out, just as a voice yells,

"-Where is that man!" with swift, purposeful strides the masked man reveals himself.

"Speak of the devil," he says as the two, suit-wearing, men stare at him,

"And he shall appear."

"What. The hell. Is going. On." The shorter, and more weasel looking of the two, speaks with a meek attempt to sound authoritative. Bane hears Raja snicker, perhaps knowing this little insect doesn't know his place on the food chain.

"She shouldn't be here."

"Why have you summoned me Mr. Daggott? Everything is going as planned."

"You have my construction crews working 24/7 under the city. Your trick on the stock market didn't freaking work! And my company has yet to absorb Wayne's! How, my friend, is anything going according to plan!" Mr. Daggott has yet to realize his position. And Bane would gladly show him where he belonged in this pyramid of predators and prey.

"Leave us." He says to the other man, who knew his place and had remained silent.

"No. Don't go anywhere, I'm in charge-" Bane places a thick hand between the section of his shoulder that connects to his neck.

"-Do you feel in charge?" it is an honest question, though he knows there will be no answer. The other man leaves the room, just as he was told.

"What is this?" Daggott mutters in distress, his eyes taking on the fright Bane is delighted to see.

"Your no longer a part of the plan Mr. Daggott."

"But…But I've paid you a small fortune-"

"-And this gives you power? Over me?" the man is sweating bullets now.

"Your money and infrastructure have been useful to me, until now."

"Your-p-pure evil."

"I am necessary evil, here to end the borrowed time you all have been living off of." And in a quick motion, his hand seizes Daggott's neck and twists-killing him, almost, instantly. He lets the body thud onto the floor, feeling the usual pang of dominance coursing through him when indulging his predatory instincts.

"Well, that was, kind of, surprising," Raja conveys,

"By the way, the cat needs food and a warm place." Her tone suggests that Bane's act hasn't fazed her at all. And something about that made him feel prideful.

"You will be remaining here, Raja."

"Here?"

"Do you not prefer a change in scenery?"

* * *

Raja's words rang in her ears, "You can't bring him the Batman Selina." It wouldn't shut up when the Batman actually met her within the old railway track. It was especially loud as she lured the vigilante to his doom. And she hesitated moments before they would reach their destination. But its too late to turn back now. Just as the Batman steps onto the metal bridge, a steel crisscross patterned gate separates them. All she could do is watch in as the the Batman takes on the masked man. The crusader gives her a disappointed look,

"This was the only way to keep them from killing me." She claims,

"This was a mistake." He retorts harshly,

"Not as serious as yours, I fear." The masked man's voice booms in the large space. His massive size blocked the other end of the bridge; a drenching light, shining directly on his body, only made his presence sinister. The Batman faces his foe.

"Bane." He says the giant's name with confidence, as if he has every intention on winning.

"Let's not stand on ceremony here…Mr. Wayne." Selina's eyes widen in horror. Wayne is behind the mask! She already felt horrible for tricking the Batman but now her dread increases ten fold. She actually, somewhat, liked Bruce. If he doesn't win, she would feel the guilt of betraying him for the rest of her life.

The vigilante wastes no words; he goes straight into the fight throwing a punch at Bane with all his might. And he took it. The masked man stands there and takes all his punches. At some point the giant catches his fist, and gives him the same look Selina had recently received.

"Peace has cost you your strength," another punch is caught,

"Victory has defeated you." And the masked man goes on the offensive for the first time in five minutes. A heavy jab to the Batman's face sends him sprawling backwards. And with a rapid kick to the side, sends the crusader tumbling over the bridge. Fortunately he lands safely enough, but he has yet to shake off the blurriness in his vision caused by the sudden punch.

Bane swiftly climbs down a chain attached to the bridge and allows no time for the Batman to recover. He tries to defend himself; Bane proves his efforts worthless. And all Selina could do is watch him be pulverized by the masked man. Bruce Wayne gives out a desperate war cry.

To him this fight is more than just saving the city.

The masked man has taken everything from him-his money, his reputation, his business (the only reminiscence of his family's legacy), and the only man in the world that he considers a father. All that is left of him is this grisly alter ego and he would rather die than give up the Batman.

Everything that could happen depended on this fight. Selina has never seen a man so frenzied to win. She couldn't even look when Bane lifts the Batman high into the air and slams him on his knee. The snap of the crusader's spine echoes throughout the large area.

Bane defaces the Batman, removing his mask in the ultimate show of humiliation.

He lost. Bane won.

And she could picture the chaos this man would cause-but at least she had her life for now. She sees Wayne's face, terribly bruised with blood seeping from numerous cuts and gashes. She feels her heart clench in despair. If she had known he was the Batman would she still have betrayed him? She couldn't decide, and now was not the time to ponder over what has been done. She searches the space for Raja, and feels her skin become icy when the brown woman is nowhere to be seen. She clutches the gate and rattles it gaining the masked man's attention.

"Where is she!" she yells. He glances her way and even with the mask on she could tell he is smirking.

"You have your life Ms. Kyle. Take it and go."

"We had a deal!" and without another word he strides away as a few of his men take away Bruce.

* * *

Barsad arrives at Daggott Industries to relief Zaki-son of Bane's other trusted commander, Baqir-from watching over Bane's ward. The dark-skinned man is massaging his temples, as if trying to soothe a headache.

"I guess I should have warned you she's a talker." Zaki frowns at him,

"She kept going on and on about the damn cat. 'It needs this it needs that'! Why is she here anyway? What use is she to us?"

"Time will eventually reveal the answer." Barsad responds. Zaki pauses and stares, almost shockingly, at him.

"You mean you don't know either? I thought if anyone would know what the boss is up to it'd be you or dad."

"Often I don't know what he's thinking. But has he ever lead us wrong, Zak?"

"I guess not. But this mission we have… It doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I mean. It feels tainted, you know? We've known Bane for a long time and this mission doesn't feel…doesn't feel like something he would do. We're mercenaries, Barsad. Since when have we been interested in 'saving a city'."

"Well…" it's true Barsad often did not have answers to Bane's, at times strange, ways but he understood Zaki perfectly- since he knew exactly why Bane wasn't behaving as Bane.

"Don't you feel suspicious about those league of shadow guys?" now Zaki was entering dangerous waters.

"That's enough Zak. I'll take over from here, go check in with your father," The young male looks to him in frustration, nonetheless he follows his senior's orders.

"And don't repeat this conversation to anyone."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I'm serious."

"I heard you." This kind of topic, spoken to the wrong person, could get the lad killed. Its intentional that very few of them know the details of this mission. Barsad didn't like that this was happening at all, but Bane's words are final. And he knows he could never win against Talia. That feminine fatale had already implanted the seed into his superior's brain. In Five months this city would be ashes, just as the infamous Ra's Al Ghul intended it to be.

* * *

A/N: So, i know i take forever to update so i made a tumblr (tumbler, tumbr?) account to make up for my lateness. Whenever you want a sneak peak of what i'm up to just stop by. (link will be on my homepage).


	17. Chapter 17

_Past_

It'd been nine years since Talia was born in the pit, six years for Maria, and Bane had been lost count since the second year he was doomed into it. This would mark the second year for Baqir, and he had grown very fond of the small children. But the other prisoners could only grow spiteful.

Innocence did not belong here.

This was where monsters were born, where men realized their true potential to murder in cold blood without batting an eyelash, where the worst of humanity was left to corrode into nothingness. And majority were so used to this demented lifestyle that the urge to stamp out this corruptive innocence was at zenith.

And Bane could feel the hate blistering through the pit; it was rare for him to be afraid, but this intense, boiling, animosity building in the prisoners frightened him. The children only had him and Baqir to rely on; should the others decide to attack they would be greatly outnumbered. And even with all his strength he would not be able to take them on.

So he kept the children locked in his cell, not liking having to confine them once more, but he couldn't bear the thought of living without them. In fact, he was more afraid of losing the only beings that allowed him to be human than death itself. Maria began to have nightmares again and Talia seemed to be surrounded by some unseen force that kept her constantly quiet and often angry. The feeling he got when he was around her was unsettling. He wasn't sure what she was becoming, and that also scared him. One night, while the children slept, Baqir approached him. The older man sat before him and it was easy for Bane to say what he felt.

"Talia worries me."

"Why?" Baqir queried,

"She…I don't understand... why isn't she like Maria?"

"Children don't develop the same personalities. But that isn't why she concerns you." Bane's brows burrowed in confusion,

"It isn't?"

"She reminds of you something…or someone."

"Someone?" Talia had only ever been in his and Maria's presence since their mother died.

"You've told me yourself Bane. This place creates monsters." The old man said,

"She is not a monster." Bane retorts harshly, but the old man simply shrugged,

"Whatever redemption you're searching for will not be in that little girl." And that's the last he says before leaving the cell and heading to his own.


	18. Chapter 18

_Present_

I lay the sickly cat on a makeshift bed of cushy small couch pillows just as Barsad enters the penthouse. The poor thing groans weakly and curls into the fetal position. He apathetically gazes at the feline,

"Why show sympathy? It will die anyways. And how could you help it, your no doctor." He says impassively. I stroke the cat's back gently,

"You don't need to be a doctor to heal people."

"Its not a person."

"Human, animal, does it matter?"

"I'm sure it does matter."

"Where's my food? Every time you're around I get to eat."

"I'm escorting you, and the cat, to another area."

"We're not going back underground, are we?" I don't think my psyche can take another day in that god-forsaken place.

"No. For now this will be our home base." 'our'? Bane is moving his HQ to Daggott tower? For him to make such a bold move, whatever he's up to must be coming to fruition. Further more if Bane has decided to be conspicuous, does that mean his biggest threat is gone? Did Selina, even with my disapproval, really give up the Batman? And if she truly did betray the vigilante, did Bane win against him? I've never been a big fan of the crusader but if anyone can save Gotham it's him.

And if Bane managed to get rid of him…

"What happens now?" I ask, trying not to show how anxious I'm becoming. Barsad looks at me and his lips curl into, what appears to be, an attempt to smile; its the most animated expression I've ever seen on him and honestly my heart flutters a little, he looks rather decent when he's not frowning.

"You're too curious." He carefully gathers the cat in his arms, cradling it on his forearm. I give him a hypocritical glare,

"I never said I didn't like animals." He says,

"So he's letting me keep the cat."

"I suppose. Now come, you don't want to be in this space any longer." I stand to follow him,

"Why?"

"This will be the boss's domain. Unless you wish to be with-"

"Let's go." And I press the elevator button myself to lead to a lower level. Unfortunately my room is only one level below Bane's 'domain'. This floor has multiple doors hiding luxurious rooms meant for the top employees of Daggott's company. Unfortunately they no longer get to use these rooms, and apparently I get the whole floor to myself. I'm handed a master key card that could open any of the doors.

"I'd prefer you stay in room one since it's closest to the elevator."

"Is there a room fifty?" the soldier sighs,

"Do you insist on making my job difficult?" I glance at him,

"What, exactly, is your job?"

"Babysitting you." And he hands me the cat and shoves me out the elevator just as the metal doors begin to slide closed. Just for shoving me I choose room ten, the last door at the end of the first hallway.

I've lived in expensive places, , but this room makes all that seem trivial. Mr. Daggott is most certainly a narcissistic, greedy, bastard, but damn does he have taste in interior décor. This carpet has to be the softest my bare feet have ever touched. The walls in the living room are a wonderful sienna shade with interesting art pieces hanging in premeditated places.

A curving long smooth dark brown couch is placed before a massive transparent wall with an excellent view of Gotham's finer parts. A short-legged table sits in front of the couch, with a silver ice bucket clearly meant for alcoholic beverages. And I could use some of that right now. I sit on the couch, laying the cat on a cushion and smirk when it mews lightly and sprawls out. I lye down as well, deciding a nap would be nice-now that I'm in a different setting perhaps sleep will come quicker.

* * *

_I hold a stuffed bear in my small hands, examining its worn state. It's missing a button eye, a part of its right leg is torn to the point of detachment, its color is so faded it appears grey (though there are slight hints that it may have been brown), and there is a gash in its back._

_"_, why does Osito have this?" I ask an unknown person, as my tiny finger pokes the inside of the slash._

_"Osito likes to hold things for people." The person speaks; it's definitely a male's voice whose tone is rather soothing to hear._

_"What has he held for you?"_

_"Things."_

_"What things?"_

_"…Its well past your bedtime _. Come." I stand, and feel annoyed that the man hasn't answered my question. Nonetheless, I don't argue, knowing it's useless to do so. I turn to face the man and oddly I can barely make out his shape. His whole body, especially his face, is a blur as if I'm looking at him from a distance even though he's here in front of me. The man approaches me and lifts me into his arms,_

_"What book would you like me to read tonight?" he questions, as he lays me on a cot next to a girl who's already fallen asleep._

_"The one about the thief." I reply as I tuck myself into an old dusty blanket._

_"Very well." The man goes through a short stack of books, pulling out the one requested. He sits on the floor and opens the tattered hardcover. I close my eyes as he starts to read and let my imagination take control as I attach his words to images drawn in my mind. I am a thief, slipping through the home of a wealthy merchant, robbing him of prized possessions. This was something I did regularly and I've never been caught since I'm the best bandit in the ancient city of Atbara. Just as I stuff a shiny gold vase into my satchel, I notice something rather odd. Against a wall, protected by a glass incasing was an old thick slab of stone with Arabic inscriptions. I stare at the stone for quite some time, wondering why out of all the valuable things in this one room this was the only item with any security. Deciding it wasn't worth taking I leave the house-_

"Wake up." The man says out of the blue, causing me to flinch in surprise.

"What?" I question,

"It is time to awaken Raja." My eyes snap open and I almost scream out when seeing Bane's face hovering way too close for comfort.

"We are leaving." He says nonchalantly, as if disrupting peoples' dreams is the norm for him.

"Where are we going?" I ask, but I don't get an answer; instead his eyes drift to the side, I follow his line of sight and my mouth drops open. A man is lying on the floor, barely a few feet away. Both his eyes are bruised, one having swelled to a nasty shade of purple. His nose seemed slightly out of place, blood seeps out of his mouth and other various cuts and gashes on his face. He's so beaten his not even recognizable. But it's not his face that gives it away. The man is wearing an all-black suit, with the Batman's logo blatantly stretching across the uniform's torso.

"Oh my god." I gasp,

"We will be taking our friend to a special place." Bane speaks, as his amused eyes glance my way.

"Is he dead?"

"No, he is holding onto a very thin thread." The masked man stands and walks over to the window, gazing upon Gotham. He reminds me of a king, admiring territory he invaded. I can't believe the vigilante actually lost.

Batman was the only person holding Gotham together, without him the city would certainly fall into chaos. And the fact that Bane is powerful enough to take out the crusader puts me on edge.

It makes me question how long I will have before I'm 'holding onto a very thin thread'.

"How long will we be gone?"

"At most a week."

"Does the cat get to come?" he glances at me, irritation evident in his eyes.

"If it must." I hear the door open and several footsteps walk into the apartment. Few of his soldiers, the ones dressed in militia uniforms, grab the defeated vigilante, and begin dragging him out the room.

"We must go now." He comes toward me holding out his hand for me to take. I grasp it, and nearly shriek when he pulls me off the couch onto my feet.

* * *

A small plane, with Daggott's name clearly written across it in big bold letters, is humming with life. Apparently, Mr. Daggott has his own runaway at his million dollar mansion, and even the runaway has his name across it in big bold letters. With the cat tucked carefully in my arms I board the plane, not surprised at its luxury. It's disturbing to see the Batman be lugged into the back, not even put in a seat.

"Does what you see trouble you?" Bane queries, using that same curious tone whenever he's picking my brain.

"How did you do it?" and, as usual whenever I ask a serious question, he ignores me and instead chooses to take a seat and buckle himself in. Does he know how much that bothers me?

Why can't he just give me a freaking answer!

I don't even argue, I sit in a seat as well and buckle in. The plane takes off and in no time we're above the clouds going to a place completely foreign to me. I'm not surprised when we're allowed out of the U.S.'s borders-the process was so smooth and easy it makes me anxious to wonder how much power this guy has. Staying in one spot with nothing to do is a perfect concoction for me to drift into a sleep.

And for once I dream of simple things. It's like a memory replaying itself; Selina and I, at my place, in our pajamas attempting to sing like Whitney Houston. Of course we both failed, yet the more we tried the funnier it seemed. That day we had made our twentieth robbery together. We'd stolen gold rings from a rich man's wife and were wearing them on our fingers. We flaunt around the apartment, pretending to be classier than we are. Eventually the dream becomes one big blur, as I begin to awaken. When my eyes finally open I feel the plane descending. I look out the window and see nothing but plain dry land that stretches for miles. In the distance there's a small town. Oddly I get this feeling that I've been there before, and my eyes focus on a tall brick building with a massive hole in its side as if the place had been bombed.

The plane lands and the same men haul the Batman off the aircraft. Bane convinces me to leave the feline on board, and we step out onto a dirt path, leading to, what looks like, a large well. We follow behind his lackeys until I stop before the largest hole I'd ever seen. It isn't a well at all, more like a pit, which possibly goes nearly eight stories into the ground.

I see stairs that form pyramids around the curving walls; prison cells are built into the walls and in the middle stand a crowd of people staring up at us. My heart races and I feel suddenly nauseas; why do I get the terrible feeling that I know this place? I try racking my brain, searching for some kind of explanation to verify this feeling. Everything in me is screaming to run away, to turn and run and never return.

And the longer I stare into the abyss the stronger this dread builds within me.

"Where the hell are we?" I ask anxiously, and I know the masked man could feel my distress. He comes up to me and I stare into his eyes; I don't know what he sees but it causes him to step back as if I'd stunned him. He approaches me slower, taking my chin in his hand and observing the despair written all over my countenance.

"There is nothing to fear, Raja." He assures gently. Did he not understand? Its blatant that this place is a breeding ground for pure agony, but that shouldn't be a reason for it to affect me. Something happened here; something appalling and sad.

"Are you coming sir?" a lackey inquires,

"Yes, we will follow you soon."


	19. Chapter 19

_Past_

Bane hated his persistent musing over Baqir's words. He didn't like what the man had to say about Talia. It was clear the children's paths would not be the same. Maria, despite all she had seen and had to endure, still retained her purity, which he finds miraculous. Talia continued to sink deeper into darkness and he hated that he couldn't save her.

No matter what he did, he couldn't pull her up.

In fact, the only one keeping Talia from drowning in its embrace was Maria. Only her joyous presence could make Talia smile-and she rarely smiled anymore. He noticed whenever his little light was around he felt a comforting warmth fill him. Whenever she laughed his heart seemed to race and his cheeks would flush at such a beautiful sound.

Often when her soft skin touched his own he had a similar feeling. He couldn't understand why he had these unknown emotions for her and only her-he'd never felt anything like this towards Talia. He was cradling Maria in his arms one day, simply observing her slumbering countenance. She was gaining more feminine features lately.

Her hair curled past her ears, he made a mental note to cut it; her lips had become plumper and despite the dryness the pit took on during winter, the soft appendages managed to remain smooth. He had an odd thought that somewhat troubled him. He wondered what her lips would feel like on his cheek as he used a finger to gently trace along the appendages.

"You love her, don't you?" It's Baqir who'd spoken. Bane glanced at him,

"Love?" there was nothing more foreign to him than that. If he had ever been loved he couldn't remember, and for him to feel something so unusual for another…it was unheard of. He wasn't supposed to have such a raw feeling.

Monsters can't have these feelings.

"What does it mean to love someone?" the older man scoffed,

"I can't tell you that." Bane narrowed his eyes at him,

"Well…I suppose if you cannot imagine a life without her in it…than you're in love." Baqir told. He looked back at the girl in his arms and contemplated the man's words. What would life be like if this angel hadn't appeared?

Before her he had no one; he didn't even have a name. The only instinct he had was surviving, and he'd taken on a grisly reputation for the sake of living until the next day. He never knew what it was like to care for anyone but himself. He never knew he was even capable of caring for anything. Yet here he was. He always had this warmth, like a blanket embracing him, whenever Maria was around.

He thought of all the things the child had done for him. She'd called him friend. She'd given him a name. She brought a humanness out of him that he used to think never existed. She was his light in the darkness, his only chance of salvation. Bane was never a religious person, but he thought if there was a god it would live within his Maria. Nothing was more ethereal than her…Was this enough to call it love?

"Would that be strange? To be in love with a child?" he asked, hoping these feelings were not border lining something adulterated.

"No, I don't think so. But she's still a child. She can't give you what a woman could." Bane glared at him,

"I don't think of her that way. I never have." Maria stirred in his arms before her eye lids blinked and then became still to stare up her guardian. She smiled, and he felt the same familiar warmness grip him again.

"Hello." She said softly,

"Hello." He repeated.


	20. Chapter 20

_Present_

He couldn't convince Raja to come down into the pit. She kept fussing and huffing and pouting and insisting that this was a dark, dark place. And Bane would know. This was where he grew up; but the horror in her eyes and the sudden despair misting around her confused him. Why would she feel fear when she has never been in the pit?

Yet the familiarity he could see dawning within her made him think she truly had been here. And then he thinks of her missing history, the twelve years of life lost to amnesia. He hadn't thought of the child's name for a while, and when it surfaced to his mind the power of it almost made him shudder.

"Maria." He whispered. The child who had filled his dark heart with light.

"I won't go." Raja says once more, crossing her arms and giving him a cautious stare. Bane doesn't reply. He simply lifts her up and puts her over his shoulder. Of course she struggled, much to his annoyance. If she were any other person he would have tied a rope around their waist and pushed them into the pit, not caring if their spines snapped from the fall.

As he climbs down on a rope he threatened to drop her if she kept wiggling around, and she quit her foolishness. When they finally reached the bottom, he put her down. Bruce Wayne was also lowered into the pit, and his limp form is dragged into a cell. Bane, along with Raja close to his side, walks past rows of old, eroding bars, climbing stone steps, and while trying not to stare at the cell he used to call home, he made his way into the box that would contain Gotham's broken crusader. When he reached the cell Raja chooses to venture off, and he doesn't stop her, knowing she could take care of herself just fine. He motions with a finger that Wayne be thrown onto a cot; the man is still unconscious, but Bane didn't want to waste time waiting for him to awaken. He sits on the cot, and places a hand on Wayne's chest, knowing the pain would wake him up, just as it had caused him to black out. Sure enough, the man's eyes sprang open as he let out a disheveled groan.

"I'm…I'm alive," He says weakly, as his eyes find Bane's.

"Why…Why haven't you killed me?"

"You don't fear death," Bane answers plainly,

"You welcome it. Therefore your punishment must be more severe."

"Torture?"

"Yes. But not of your body…Of your soul." Wayne sighs heavily, trying greatly not to succumb to the terrible aching and throbbing in his wounded back.

"There is a reason why this place, my home, is considered the worst hell on earth," Bane stands and begins to pace the room,

"I learned here that true despair comes from only one, rather simple, thing," he stops before corroding metal bars and stares up, looking through the gaping hole to see the sky. Wayne tries to look as well, but any kind of movement, even just thinking of moving, made jolts of pain course through his bones.

"Many have tried to make the climb. Many thought it would be easy. Many had been tempted by the sky and the birds flying above, calling out to them... But like shipwrecked men turning to salt water out of uncontrollable thirst, many died… Do you know what would make men so desperate?" he says as if he had no clue what the answer was, even though he did. Nonetheless Wayne answered,

"Hope."

"Yes. Hope… such a fragile thing." The masked man returns to sitting on the cot, glaring at Wayne as he finally reveals his plans,

"As I terrorize Gotham I will feed them hope to poison their souls. I will make your precious civilians think they have a chance, and you can watch them clamber over each other in vain attempts to stay in the sunlight," his eyes motion to the television screen, built into the cell wall beside Wayne's.

"You get to watch me torture an entire city. And when you have truly understood the depth of your failure to protect them. We will fulfill Ra's Al Ghul's destiny…And when that is done, and Gotham is in ashes," a large hand is once again placed on Wayne's torso, weighing heavy on his brittle form.

"Then you have my permission to die."

As Bane stands he pushes his hand on Wayne's chest, and watches in satisfaction as the broken man begins to scream in agony, though he's not sure whether it's the physical or psychological pain causing him the most suffering. Bane leaves the cell, now having to search for Raja who'd hadn't come back. He doesn't look for long. He spots her sitting in his old cell, the very area he'd been avoiding, looking through something.

He approaches silently, not wanting to disturb her as he's curious to what she's up to-and just as curious as to, out of all the cages here, she finds interest in this one. Raja has a book in her hand, and he instantly recognizes the novel, based on its black tattered cover and crinkled browning pages. As he neared he looked back, clearly seeing another cell across the pit, which used to be where the woman and her children remained for years.

It'd been so neglected, even more so than his own. Based on the congesting dust and the pure emptiness practically shading it, he guessed no one has been inside for decades. Perhaps the prisoners had come up with some foolish legend about it- as to why they would do that he didn't care. He could only think of how that cage had been the beginning and end of his path to some kind of redemption. Quite some time ago, he'd given up on his journey to save whatever soul he had left when he lost the only being that could ever give him pure joy. And as he watches Raja flip through the pages, an odd image comes to mind. Instead of Raja he sees the child, sitting in the same spot, flipping through the same book with childish curiosity. It had been her favorite book, the story of the infamous thief of Atbara. The image came and went just as quickly.

"We are done here." Bane says, finally deciding to let his presence known. Raja flinches in surprise when hearing his voice. She'd been so caught in another world, as if a bubble had been surrounding her preventing any interference from the outside.

"I'm taking this." She says, as she comes to him with the book tucked under her arm. He doesn't object, and lets her lead the way out.

* * *

Barsad has a keen sense of hearing. As he stood on the rooftop of Daggott tower, despite the whooshes of cars driving by and the howling of the wind, he could distinctly pick out a specific sound. It is rhythmic, fast paced, not ever missing a beat, as heel after heel strikes concrete. He looks below the edge, displaying the neighboring buildings of the business district. Sure enough he sees the femme fatale, walking swiftly and gracefully and purposefully. Her long dark brown hair swished behind her shoulders and her brown eyes are set on whatever scheme she has coursing through her mind.

To any normal civilian she would appear as Miranda Tate, clad in simple colored fabrics and always having a simplistic smile that seemed to swoon men. But to Barsad, and Bane, and any other member of the league of shadows, she is Talia Al' Ghul. She is the one who will finally end what her father had started. She will bring a fire to Gotham none has ever seen before. And as she nears the entrance to the tower her eyes glance up, instantly focusing onto Barsad's form. It didn't surprise Barsad she could spot him so quickly. She is always wary of her surroundings, so wary it is her sixth sense.

He leaves his position, heading towards the lobby to greet "Miranda Tate". He isn't sure why she's here. She knows Bane wouldn't approve of her sudden visit. She's not supposed to have any physical contact with them. And now that they've actually taken out Daggott its only a matter of time when the police find out he's dead and catch on to their plans. Of course, once they do, it'll be too late, and no matter what happens from then on Talia Al' Ghul had to remain Miranda Tate-otherwise everything they've worked for would be for nothing.

Talia stands by the front desk impatiently pacing before it as Barsad comes into view. He has no idea what she wants, hopefully not anything that would upset Bane. And she must know of his absence. No way would his boss travel half way across the world and Talia not know of it. She turns to Barsad and a wicked smirk grace her lips.

"I don't like to be kept waiting." She says abruptly,

"I did not know you were coming." He replies stoically.

"No matter," she stops pacing and gazes into his eyes, holding his attention as she explains her presence.

"I have reason to believe Bane has a distraction."

"A distraction?" of course Barsad knew exactly what she meant; however he isn't a snitch.

"Everything is going according to plan. Whatever _distraction_ the boss has is irrelevant."

"I think it is relevant considering this _distraction_ apparently is another look-alike," Barsad chooses silence.

"You were there when he spent almost ten years searching for that deceased child. You remember how he was when he thought he'd finally found her, how he pampered some of those girls, and when he finally found out they were not his precious redemption…well, you were there." He knows what she speaks of. And he had seen how Bane could become when confronted with fallacies-especially when those fallacies are fragments of his delusion to see and feel what he failed to keep safe. Each look-alike was murdered out of a raging impulse. 'Cleansed from this world' Bane would have put it. And for the next month or months his boss would be horribly moody. Talia could barely tell the shifts in Barsad's expression-they are so subtle-but she knows her words have taken hold.

"We have a mission to complete. There is too much at stake for this woman to ruin it," Talia begins as she walks towards the main exit.

"I want her dead by the end of the week." She says casually, as if this task is no different than asking someone to take out the trash. And with that said she left Barsad to a great deal of thinking. As much as Talia would like to think so, Barsad didn't think of her as his commander yet he finds himself weighing on the pros and cons of Raja's death.

"Was that who I think it was walking down the street away from here?" a voice speaks. Barsad lets out a sigh of relief as Baqir comes toward him, confusion etched on the older man's features. He wore a dark jacket, a plain black shirt and cargo jeans, and timbalands, possibly trying to blend in with the city. But, like Bane, he had physical qualities that is impossible to miss-such as the long scar running from along his bald head down across his left eye and ending at his mandible. He's also a large man with a thick build-Barsad wouldn't be surprised if people mistaken him for some kind of weight lifting champion. And when Baqir approaches him, the older man patted Barsad's shoulder in a show of greeting-something Bane did as well when he remembered to do so.

"She knows about the woman," Barsad states,

"She wants her dead." Baqir steps back and rubs his stubbly chin,

"I assume Raja Hughes is the one she wants dead?" Barsad nods,

"Well...I've never actually met the woman," he'd been busy making sure Gotham city is fused with secret mixtures since they first arrived.

"What did she do to warrant Talia's condemnation."

"She's a look-alike."

"A look-alike…" Baqir knows he isn't a young man anymore and has great difficulty remembering things at times. When the term finally comes to light he frowns deeply. They hadn't found any women of the sort for years.

"Another one, huh…I guess I will have to see the woman myself. But I have a feeling whether this woman is a look-alike or not Talia would still want her dead. For as long as I've known her she… doesn't like to share her possessions."


	21. Chapter 21

_Past_

Talia and Maria sat together closely, fingers entwined, as their eyes looked through cell bars to the afternoon sky. The vast blue was clear allowing the sun's rays to sink into the pit, causing it to heat up like a sauna. They didn't mind the heat at all, it was better than the grueling cold.

The prisoners became livelier during this time of the year. No one had to stay in their cells and wait out the winter, which many did not survive. So it was to all the prisoners' mortification to see the only two children in this hellhole alive and well and as satisfied as could be in a place such as this. They should be dead, but the monster was always close by. The few who tried to take away the fiend's treasures were ruthlessly slain.

Fear was what kept the prisoners at bay for so long. And some could not bear to be in the vicinity of the very opposite of vileness. Some couldn't bear the memories of how good their lives used to be, and the children were a constant, stabbing, reminder of the goodness that used to be instilled within all of them. And so some tried to escape. Some would make the climb, such as this day when Talia and Maria were quiet and still.

A man stood by the stone wall, eyes calculating how long it would take to ascend a wall the height of a skyscraper. As another prisoner tied a rope around his waist others gathered around, all knowing how this would end, but had nothing better to do.

And with a deep, settled, breath the man begun.

He was rather quick, scaling the wall like a spider. He had the physicality and the stamina to make it up the wall but there was a catch. He couldn't just climb. Halfway up the wall there were two stones, large and strong enough to hold a man, protruding from it. They were not too far apart, however in order to finish the climb one would have to jump to the other.

And this was the moment when most failed. He knew how fast he had to be, his limbs knew what they had to do to make to the other side. A soft chant began to crescendo into a loud rumbling roar consisting of only one word, '_deshi basara_'. The man let out a fierce battle cry as he ran and jumped. There was a silence as all eyes stared up.

Fingers touched the other side, but he couldn't get a firm hold and he plummeted back into hell. The rope did not always assure the survival of the drop. And the man's spine snapped from the rope's harsh tug to prevent his body from impacting the stone ground. Unfortunately he didn't die, and couldn't move at all, and was rushed by the other prisoners as they stole everything on his person than proceeded to rip him limb from limb, some would make use of his bones to forge weapons and some would make use of his flesh to fill themselves. Maria and Talia had seen this before and each time disturbed them greatly. They knew they're presence was not welcome. They knew they would have to make the climb someday.

But they didn't know it would be so soon.


	22. Chapter 22

_Present_

As the masked man 'talks' to the Batman I decide to explore the prison. From above it seems small, but now that I'm actually down here (thanks to Bane) it is rather massive. Stairs lead to cells and multiple corridors burrow within the pit's walls that lead to more cells. The large cavity in the middle of the pit acts as the epicenter for all prisoner activity.

I expected there would be more people trapped down here, yet I see very few. I have a troubling sensation that this place used to be crowded and sodden with rage and animosity. But it just seems empty, sad, and old. I find myself drawn to a cell facing a set of stairs. It's a little larger than the ones I've seen so far.

A decayed browning futon lies towards a corner. A few books are scattered along the floor. I pick them up, examining each one until I discover a book I actually recognize. I have no idea what the title says or any of the words in the book since everything is written in Arabic. But I sit on the floor and continue flipping through pages, hoping something would jog my memory.

"We are done here." I gasp and almost fall back in surprise from the sound of his voice. I don't know how such a big man could sneak up on me, but he did. And that just makes him all the more dangerous. I frown at him and am tempted to say something I know would make him mad, but I've never seen him appear so melancholy-as if he remembered something either horrible or sad.

"I'm taking this." I say and with the book tucked under my arm he lets me lead the way out. As he walks behind me I look over the old book. I wonder how old it is and what the heck does it say.

"It reads, the Thief of Atbara." Bane conveys, and déjà vu practically slaps me in the face. I know for certain I've heard that title before. And though I can't read a lick of what's in the book, I have a decent notion of what its about.

"You know Arabic?" I ask.

"Would you like for me to read it to you?" I hand him the book. He flips it open to the third page.

"…Within a glass incasing was an old thick slab of stone with Arabic inscriptions. The thief examined it for quite some time, wondering why, of all the merchant's treasures, it was the only one worth securing. He did not know of any client that would want such a worthless thing. So he continues to take jewelry and small gold sculptures. And with his load he sneaks away expecting to never return to the merchant's home-"

"-but he goes back. He's too curious of the merchant's stone and decides to take it."

"…You have heard this tale before?"

"I think so." But I don't know how I know. When the masked man doesn't make any remarks I glance back at him. He's standing still, glaring at me as if I was transforming into something right before his eyes.

"Uh, you okay?" but he doesn't respond; he hands me the book as he walks past me. I suck my teeth, what the hell is his issue now?

When we reach the surface I notice more of Bane's soldiers have surrounded the pit. They're all loaded with weapons and ammo strapped along their bodies, as if they're going to war. Bane stands in front of me as his coalition crowd around him.

"The time has finally come my brothers," he begins,

"For thousands of years our league has maintained balance on this world. For the sake of justice we have brought down empires, destroyed countries, assassinated all who stand in the way of our mission. We are this world's salvation. And it has never needed us more. Gotham is our target. Its destruction will be our greatest achievement. But it will also be our last. There is no longer room for error or hesitation. If anyone wishes to leave, now would be the time,"

And there's a silence. Nobody moves, no one even looks nervous. They're all determined to fulfill whatever Bane is up to. I also have a pretty good feeling that, even if someone wanted to go, he probably would've killed them. The way he calls his minions 'brothers' makes this seem like a cult (once you join there is no turning back).

I wonder why he would bother giving them a choice anyhow. I don't understand how a person can group so many people together for the purpose of destruction. Not that I'm defending Gotham, because it is a terrible place, but not everyone deserves to die. What kind of grudge does a person need to want to wipe a city off the map?

"Speak now or forever hold your peace," Bane speaks, but there is still silence.

"We leave for Gotham at midnight."

* * *

"Come on, just once more and we're through." I say, but the cat isn't having it. I have already eaten, but the small creature is still too weak to eat at a normal pace so I have to feed him with an eye dropper- much to his displeasure.

I know if he were strong enough he would've ran away by now. I grasp him carefully and gently feed him the rest of minced raw meat.

"See? We're done now." And I let him go and he grumbles and stumbles a few steps forward before snuggling into the blanket. Geez, such a drama queen.

The cat looks slightly better. It can move around now, though slowly, and he makes cute little grumbling noises that sound like an old man snoring. I lye with him on the floor of another, much larger, plane inside the pilot's cabin. Bane ditched the other one, saying it 'served its purpose'. I don't know why he separates me from his soldiers-its not like I can't handle myself.

However, the blankets he got for me are comfortable and when he brought me food- like an actual meal with meat and veggies- he brought food for the cat as well so I won't complain (not now anyways). I grab the book I had taken from the pit and flip through its pages once more.

Of course I can't read the words but simply touching the book and probing at it makes me feel nostalgic. What makes the feeling worse is that I can remember the gist of the book's contents but I have absolutely no clue how it ends. I sigh and close the book, closing my eyes in hopes of falling asleep. And out of the blue a rather random thing comes to mind.

I have an old pocket watch that stopped working years ago. I can't remember where I got it from, and I as much as I've tried giving it away something within me would make me feel all sentimental of the old useless thing. I don't have it with me now, its tucked away in a shoebox under my bed in my apartment. I wonder why of all things the pocket watch pops up in my head.

The door to the cabin swings open and in comes a man carrying a tray full of food in one hand and a large canister of water in the other. He peers down at me; he has an awful abundance of scars and welts littering his cheeks and nose and mandible. He has a distinct scar along the bridge of his nose and another jutting across his lips. Yet, despite the mutilations, I can tell he's quite handsome. I notice he's wearing a wrist brace and wrapped around his lower abdomen are belts that, I assume, support his back. A form fitting shirt and heavy cargo pants conceal most of his skin. He shuts the door and lumbers over to the pilot's seat. It takes a moment of me staring at this man before realization slams into my brain. The brooding eyes, skin that can't decide whether its pale or not, the massive intimidating muscular form, who else could it be?

"Bane?" I say in absolute awe, so this is what he looks like without the mask. He looks in my direction while stuffing a chicken leg into his mouth. And immediately an image flashes before my eyes. A man, who looks just like Bane except younger and without all the scars and has a little tuft of dark brown hair on his head. From my perspective he's looking down at me, a smile on his lips, as he greets me.

"Does my appearance surprise you that much?" Bane says teasingly, and without the mask to distort and spoil it, I find his low voice appealing to hear. It reminds me of a hearth, it should only bring warmth and comfort. When I don't respond to his question his countenance instantly shifts to concern. The man in my mind is saying something to me, but I can't hear him. I try to read his lips and all I can decipher is…

"Maria." I glance up at Bane,

"Whose Maria?" I question. My heart is racing against my chest as I suddenly become out of breath. That name is the most familiar of all. Like I should know it and ought to be ashamed that'd I'd forgotten it. I await an answer, and am not surprised that I receive none. Instead Bane gives me a long, blank, stare and then goes back to eating as if he'd never spoken a word since he came in here.

"Are you fucking serious?" I stress, why the hell does he keep doing this? And he clearly doesn't like my tone as he glares at me. He still doesn't speak a word. He finishes his food and gulps down his water and leaves the room, leaving me to my chaotic parade of thoughts. Since I was told that I'd lost twelve years of memories to amnesia, the idea that I couldn't remember where'd I'd come from hadn't really troubled me. After all, I had two people who cared for me as if I was their own so I never felt out of place. But now the feeling has intensified by a thousand. I almost jump out of my skin when I feel a rough but wet scratch along my hand. The cat is licking me, perhaps sensing my distress. I pet his back assuring him I'm fine, even though I'm not.

* * *

At midnight I find out that Bane's the pilot and the only name his co-pilot gives me is Cain. There's another seat in the cabin, just beside the door so that I could buckle myself in as they prepared for take off. Bane has put the mask back on. I wonder if all his killjoy buddies have seen his whole face? The cat is coiled on my lap snoozing; somehow he's mastered ignoring the plane's shaking and the engines whining. Once we're in the air I unclick my seat belt.

"How long until we're back in the states?" I query,

"Unless we run into bad weather, I estimate seventeen to nineteen hours." Cain responds.

"What the hell am I supposed to do for nineteen hours?" I grumble to myself, yet Bane answers back,

"Play with Gato."

"That's _not_ his name. and he's still too weak to play."

"Read a book." Cain adds, and I am really want to hit both of them on the head.

When we're finally back in the U.S. the plane is landed somewhere in dense forests. Then we drive all the way to Gotham. The night conceals Bane's form as we exit a jeep, parked before Daggott industries. Barsad greets us in the lobby, and for once he has a grin on his face instead of his usual blank expression.

"Did you enjoy your trip, Hughes?" he asks, though based on his bored tone he could care less how my journey was.

"So this is the little bird that has caught Bane's attention." Says another voice. And in comes another big man, possibly the same height as Bane, with a thick scar running across his face. Alarm bells go off in my head as my eyes focus in on this man. This is just like before, this sense of knowing something yet unable to figure out why. He approaches me, eyes examining me like I'm some kind of poster child. His fingers reach out and graze the skin along my left eye.

"Did you have a mole here?" what the heck?

"Baqir." Bane says warningly, but the big man doesn't seem phased at all by Bane's threatening tone and ignores him. Which is completely mind blowing considering everyone seems to have such a high level of revere for the masked man.

"I had it removed years ago." I say, pondering how he knew I had a mole.

"Hmmm…does the name Talia ring any bells?" I think on it. And the image a little girl holding a dagger quickly surfaces in my conscious.

"No more questions." Bane intervenes, placing a hand my shoulder and urging me past the big man. But Baqir steps in front of me again.

"You used to have a teddy bear named…?" he doesn't finish the sentence, and when I realize he wants me to finish it I scrunch my brows in confusion. I never had stuffed animals, but a name does come to mind.

"Osito?" I say, honestly hoping that's what he wants me to say. Brown eyes widen as he smiles,

"I can't tell you how many times I've asked that question and not once have I ever received the correct answer."

"Uh…" I didn't know I was being quizzed. And I become extra puzzled when Baqir pulls me into a bear hug.

"All those years of searching and hear you are, Maria."


	23. Chapter 23

_Past_

The heat was unbearable that day. The reek of sweat lingered in the air. The stone ground was so hot Bane had to wrap thick layers of cloth around the children's feet to keep their skin safe- though they didn't walk around much. They stayed within the confines of Bane's cell, lying flat on his bed. Their small forms had trouble regulating the heat.

Bane persistently kept them hydrated, even at the detriment of his own body's need- however knew he could survive with very little of the sustenance compared to Talia and Maria. After giving Talia her share of water he sat by the cell bars, looking through them at nothing in particular. He thought it strange that many of the prisoners had gathered in the center, nonetheless he didn't really care what they did as long as they stayed away. As time passed by and the day became hotter, he felt himself being lulled to sleep. He closed his eyes and had almost drifted into a light slumber when a sudden boom of shouting surprised him. He saw Baqir rushing to his cell in a panic,

"Get them out! They have to go now!" the older man screamed and Bane didn't pause to ask any questions. Without hesitation he picked up the two girls, ignoring their cries of displeasure, and left the cell. By the time he realized what was happening it was too late. The prisoners were rushing up the stairs, their animosity having reached absolute zenith.

Bane knew this day was inevitable.

They finally overcame their fear of the monster.

He ran in the other direction, as fast as he could while holding two children. They rushed Baqir first who'd surrendered himself to give the children time to escape. Bane ran to the only climbable wall to the surface.

"What's happening?" Maria questioned in a panic, and he had to hush her before she could rant any further. He cupped Talia's face, needing her complete attention. There were few things Bane knew about the outside world. And a name that had been etched into memory years ago, given to him by the children's mother, had remained unspoken until now.

"When you reach the surface, Ra's Al Ghul is the man you must find." He said to the child who nodded-she'd never seen him so afraid and had a sinking feeling in her stomach when she realized he was putting her in charge of their survival. There was a deck one had to climb onto before reaching the wall, and he helped the children onto it just as the prisoners were on his heels. He turned and faced them, fighting back with all the ferociousness and violence of a fiend, using all the tricks up his sleeve to give his girls more time.

"Maria, come on!" Talia yelled and grabbed her sister's wrist and tugged her to follow. But the girl stood paralyzed, watching her guardian fight so desperately to keep them safe.

"We can't leave him."

"He's a goner Maria, there's nothing we can do." Maria looked to her sister; stunned she would give up on their friend so quickly.

"Maria please, we don't have anymore time left." And she was reluctant, but she listened to her sister. They hurried to the wall and begun the climb. Their small legs had difficulty reaching for footholds, their small arms could barely hold their weight, and they had to bite their lips to keep from wincing as their bare hands ascended heated stones. There was no turning back, only death awaited them within the pit.

When they made it halfway up the wall they could finally rest, sitting on the first protruding rock. Maria and Talia looked below, just in time to find Bane looking up at them. He was completely surrounded and as he was being swallowed whole he whispered weakly, "Goodbye", hoping they heard him. He was happy they couldn't see his face anymore for he started to weep. If his girls survived he would never be able to join them, because he had expected to die that day. The prisoners clawed and pounded at his body.

Eventually the pain was too much and he blacked out.


	24. Chapter 24

_Present_

For once in her life Selina wished she'd never been a thief. Sure, being a criminal had its perks, but it was quite difficult to get places with law enforcement constantly up your ass. Such as now. She'd taken Raja's advice on getting the hell out of Gotham-finally. She'd packed her bags and bought her ticket. By four o'clock exactly she was supposed to be boarding a plane to Sweden. Why Sweden? She knew an insanely rich guy there who had, as any other man, fallen for her seduction easily. Of course she only used him for the money and once he was no longer any fun she was gone like the wind.

She could only hope he was still pathetically in love with her for her original plan to escape the law didn't work and if she didn't leave the city soon she was afraid the monster with the mask would eventually kill her- he already proved to be untrustworthy by keeping her best friend. So she had made her way to Gotham's airport, having stuffed everything necessary in a carry on.

Boarding the plane had been slightly tricky. Of course she forged her identity- no way would Sweden let a felon into their borders. Unfortunately, the moment she passed customs she noticed a cop was following her (she's wanted after all). She hurried into a random room, trying her best not to panic. When he came into the room as well she had to punch the daylights out of him just to prevent detection.

She figured she was in the clear. By the time the man woke up she'd be flying over the ocean. However some detective named John Blake beat her to it. He was waiting for her before she could even board the actual aircraft. He'd cuffed her and left her in an empty room somewhere in the airport. Her frustration increased by a thousand. Eventually the detective returned, holding a thick manila folder with both hands.

"You have quite a history Miss Kyle." He says, tossing the folder onto the table before her, scattering her long history of burglary.

"A girl's gotta eat somehow." She replies nonchalantly; its not like she had a long list of careers to pick from. It was either steal or starve.

"And you have a big appetite. I don't know how you think you could run from us with a record like this. With all these accounts of robbery we could lock you up for a very long time."

"Maybe its not you I'm running from."

"Who? Bane? If you tell us what you know about him, we can put you into protective custody." And she rolled her eyes at that. The police are almost as crooked as the Joker. Trusting them with her life is no different than trusting the masked man. Her death is certainly imminent in either captor's clutches.

"Look, unless your charging me with something I want to leave. I haven't done anything wrong." And she crosses her fingers, hoping he hadn't discovered the cop she'd knocked out.

"Of course not. You only kidnapped the city's councilman, whose pressing charges by the way." She sighs, she'd completely forgotten about that.

"Great," she seethes,

"Let me guess. Still in love."

"Oh, head over heels in love," John says,

"But, that's not the real reason I'm here. I need to ask you something."

"Ask away sweetheart, its not like I'm going anywhere."

"You know the Batman, and don't act like you don't 'cause I saw you two together. He…he hasn't been around for a few days and with everything that's going on you'd expect he'd be right at the forefront-"

"-Get to the point love."

"Did…did they kill him?" now this is a question she couldn't answer. She'd watched the Batman be defaced and dragged away, but he definitely wasn't dead. But he could be by now.

"…I'm not sure." She replies faintly, feeling guilt crawl back into her.

"I guess its safe to assume Gotham is on its own against this guy." Detective Blake says solemnly. And Selina agrees entirely. The masked man was no ordinary brawler. He outsmarted the Batman. Beat the shit out of the poor guy-could've possible killed him. The GCPD has no chance against that man. She knows Gotham is doomed. And all she can think of is her friend.

Raja warned her. Told her not to bring the Batman. But it was either Wayne's life or her own, and she honestly wasn't ready to die. She had hoped the Batman would win and how horribly was she proved wrong. If Gotham had any kind of chance it would be within Raja. It is no secret the woman has a way with men, even better than Selina. If anyone could have any influence on such an unruly beast it is her. But the mere idea Bane could be wooed by Raja is farfetched. Selina flexes her wrists, wincing at the feeling of metal pinching her skin.

"Could you take the cuffs off, I swear I won't go anywhere." The detective scoffs,

"I'm not a fool Miss Kyle."

* * *

Barsad is shocked of Baqir's sudden revelation. Raja is Maria? It couldn't be. Granted, based on the descriptions from his boss, if Maria were to be older surely she would appear this way. But his boss had described a child with the soul of an angel. Raja is no angel. When she manages to wiggle away from Baqir's hold, he tries to kiss her on the cheek but she, literally, slaps him-hard.

"What the hell? Look, I don't know who this Maria person is. My name is Raja." And he couldn't agree more. She could very well be the child Bane had been searching years for, but this woman here was not that child. Whereas the child was fragile and innocent with the soul of a saint, Raja presence is more like a siren. There is nothing fragile about her and Barsad knows from old tales that a siren was the deadliest being a man could ever encounter. The longer she stays the more his boss falls under her spell, and its only a matter of time when she devours him whole. He wonders if she even knows the sheer power she holds over him-especially if she truly is Bane's Maria. Did the child even know how much influence she had over a man that even Ra's Al Ghul feared?

Maybe Maria and Raja aren't that different. They both captured the heart of Bane and both had the potential to wield it.

"Your real name is Maria," Baqir states,

"And I know you know its true. I can see it in your eyes."

"If you want to look at my birth certificate you can." Raja says and crosses her arms defensively.  
"Perhaps I should take Hughes to her room." Barsad conveys; as much as he is glad Maria has finally been found, they still have a mission. Too many things needed to be done before the sun rises.

"Bane and I haven't seen this child for over a decade. I think we are entitled to a few more minutes with her." Baqir says dangerously low, like a lion protecting a cub. Barsad looks to Bane, whose expression has gone blanker than a sheet of paper. No kind of emotion filled his countenance. His eyes simply stare at Raja; maybe his mind hasn't quite comprehended what stands before him-and what has been in his charge all this time.

"Let's go Barsad. This guy is freaking me out," Raja snaps and grabs his arms and begins her way to the elevators further into the lobby,

"By the way, you need to get the cat out the car at some point. He was resting so well and I didn't want to disturb him but I'm sure he's awake by now."

"Consider it done." He says, just as he thinks on the femme fatale's orders. She doesn't know this woman she wants dead is actually her long lost sister. Before they could even reach the elevators, Baqir grabs Raja by her forearm, smacking her against his form in another hug.

"You're not going anywhere until you tell us what the fuck you've been up to all this time. And how come you keep refusing your name? You have such a pretty name it's not right to rebut it."

"She does not remember us," Bane finally speaks, causing Raja to stop her loud protests.

"She lost her memories. She remembers nothing of the pit or her mother and sister…she remembers nothing about me or you." Barsad wants to shudder from the mixture of anger and grief boiling within his boss. He always thought of Bane as unbreakable statue. No matter what was thrown his way his leader could handle it. But after years of taking blow after blow perhaps this blow is too much to take.

"I'm aware I lost my memories. But that doesn't make me who you think I am." Raja says, though she sounds unsure- as if her mind is swiftly trying to piece together a thousand puzzle parts.

"Oh really. You haven't had any strange dreams? Or images or scenes of people you've 'never' seen before come to mind? Perhaps you have found yourself in déjà vu moments?" Baqir prods, and the look on her face gives it away. Barsad didn't have to be a mind reader to know she experienced everything his commander mentioned.

"So what? That doesn't make me Maria." Raja argues, and doesn't allow anyone to say another word for she takes off for the elevators before anyone could react. Bane moves to go after her but Baqir holds him back with a hand on his shoulder.

"She needs time to process this." he says to the masked man.

* * *

Zaki wasn't prepared to be knocked to the ground by a panicked woman. He always considered himself ready for anything, even the apocalypse, but she rams into him so hard he nearly blacks out. She seems just as dazed when staring down at him,

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry, I-"

"-What the hell woman! Where the hell are you going?" he yells and her apologetic mood does a complete one eighty.

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to?" he squints his eyes, not liking her new tone. But as she becomes increasingly familiar, he ends up feeling like the biggest idiot on the planet. This woman is the boss's squeeze (at least that 's the rumor amongst the others). And he seeks forgiveness immediately as he helps her to her feet.

"Forgive me, miss. I shouldn't have yelled at you that way. Are you lost? You want me to bring you back to your room or-" she silences him with a held up finger,

"You're not going to tell Bane where I am. Is that clear?"

"Uh…" there's no way he would ever go against the boss. However he didn't want to make Bane's mistress upset; she could say anything to him and Zaki would become the cause of his boss's next rampage.

"I'm not trying to escape I just need…I just really need to be alone and I know I won't get that in my _designated_ room." She says sadly, as if she's ready to cry at any second. Zaki isn't good with girls. It's different when they're just for pleasure, but actually having to deal with their emotions and issues-he'd rather shoot himself.

"Alright alright, uh…no one goes in my room, you can chill there until you feel better. I'll check on you later 'cause I got stuff to do but definitely don't leave, okay? I'll escort you back to your own space. Its not safe for you to be alone." Zaki trusted his family of mercenaries, but he had nothing but suspicion for the league of shadows' killers.

"I promise, I just need to be somewhere." She says. And he does as he said. He brings his boss's woman to his room (knowing how wrong this seemed on so many levels) and leaves her to her emotions. He takes the elevator to the lobby where many of his comrades, league members, and replaceable street thugs have gathered before his father and Bane.

"Concrete still needs to be fixed in two other areas," his father speaks,  
"Otherwise, the only thing left is planting the 'packages' onto every bridge in Gotham. Team A will take the west and pour the concrete on Mullens road, Team B east, Team C north, and Team D south and pour concrete on the construction sight on Wayne drive. We have six hours until sunrise. I want this done before than. You all have done well so far. Do not disappoint me now. Dismissed."

And everyone breaks up into their groups to work on their task. Zaki is in Team C, besides melding explosives into bridges they would also be the ones present for the big finale at Gotham stadium. He isn't a fan of American football so he would feel absolutely nothing when they destroyed Gotham's precious symbol of unity.

* * *

Everything within Bane wanted to go to her. He could feel his muscles twitch at the need to be close to her, could feel his heart beat faster at the thought of her. So his musings were not imaginations. He was not wasting his time and money, and resources on another look-alike who'd manage to win his affections for a short while. No, this woman is the real deal.

She is his Maria, the love of his life, his savior he failed to save.

Baqir told him to leave her be, allow her a couple of hours to think. At first he agreed with the older man. His initial reaction when it was revealed Raja is Maria had stunned him silent. He wanted to feel joy, but all he could feel was this terrible guilt. What would she think of him once she actually remembers him? He was meant to be her guardian yet he couldn't find her when she was lost. He had even given up looking, and of all places to find his sweet and delicate love, he finds her in Gotham-the absolute representation of a cesspool. Even worse, the first time he saw her she was being dragged to him unconscious and with a gash upon her forehead. And even worse than that, He remembered choking the life out of her with the intent to end her. What if he had gone through with it? He would have killed the very thing that allowed him to feel human. He would have never known she was his Maria and she would never have the opportunity to confirm it. Bane stands in the elevator alone, staring at his big hands- callous weapons that nearly took Raja's life. He couldn't wait a couple of hours. He couldn't forgive himself for putting his hands on her so roughly. Perhaps he would feel slightly lighter if he could at least apologize. However when he reaches her room, and searches the whole place, he sees her no where.

"Where is she?" he says to himself, feeling annoyed, angered, and becoming gradually afraid that she has run away.

He couldn't risk losing her again- the first time nearly ripped his heart in two.


	25. Chapter 25

_Past_

"Come on Maria." Talia said. They were not safe yet. They had to make the jump. And if they failed there was no rope to break their fall.

"I can't do it. We can't make it." Maria wept, she was exhausted and shocked from watching her protector be battered by savages.

"Don't give up on me. We need each other," Talia said with a trembling voice, trying her best not to cry as well.

"I need you, okay. I can't go on without you. So…so I'll go first." And she stood at the far back of the stone, noting the one she'd have to leap to and knowing she'd have to run fast. She took in a deep breath and ran, not hesitating when she finally had to jump.

Her arms stretched out, her legs kicked out, and miraculously she managed to cling onto the stone. She struggled to climb up, and once she had, coerced her sister into doing the same action. Maria inhaled deeply.

She ran.

She jumped.

Talia could see she was not going to make it.

Maria's fingers grazed the stone, and Talia reached out and caught her by the wrist. Maria begun to hyperventilate, becoming increasingly dizzy at the though of falling to her death.

"I got you. Don't let go." And with all her might Talia hauled her sister up enough that she could grab onto the stone and scramble the rest of the way. They finished the climb and were nearly blinded by the intensity of the sun's rays.

Once their eyes adjusted, they gazed in awe at their new surroundings. For miles there was nothing but dry plains, but they could see buildings in the distance. They looked up and saw just how wide the sky was and the feel of a breeze on their skin was enough to make Talia weep.

"We've done it." She cried. And for the last time they look down into the pit. It appeared so small from above, and they couldn't see Bane nor Baqir at all.

"What now?" Maria queried. Talia remembered Bane's words. She had no idea who Ra's Al Ghul was but he was their only hope in enduring this new world.

"We find Ra's Al Ghul." She said.

* * *

They made it to the city, and it was nothing like they'd imagined. Maria expected everyone would be strutting around in expensive clothes and the streets would be clean and people would be happy. Yet nothing about this place could bring happiness.

The paths were disgusting, littered with trash or rubble from buildings that had either collapsed from old age or been blown up. There were few vendors trying to make a living, though most of their food was rotten and very few could even afford to buy that. Maria and Talia had never seen so many children.

At first they were excited to see them, but when they had to fend for their lives when a group attacked them, Talia thought it best to stay away from people in general. The children they'd seen were homeless. They had seen children lying in alleyways coughing their life away. They'd seen children rummage through trash. They'd seen children steal, vandalize, kill or be killed. They'd seen children be raped.

Children were not the joyous beings like the ones in Bane's books. In this world they were like coal.

There was no beauty within them.

Children did what they had to do to survive, even if that meant little girls becoming prostitutes for the sake of having somewhere to rest their heads; or little boys joining gangs whom polished them into perfect killers. Maria and Talia eventually came to the conclusion that this city was no different than the pit and they needed each other more than ever- since Bane wasn't around to protect them anymore.

They did what they had to do to persevere. Maria would never be as coldhearted as Talia, but she'd grown a tougher skin. When it was time to steal she didn't hesitate. When they had to fend for themselves her intent to inflict pain didn't waver. For a while their routine of laying low and taking when necessary worked- at the same time Talia would discreetly ask around for Ra's Al Ghul. For a year they lived in the city without falling to sickness or obtaining significant injury.

But their luck would run out.

* * *

A/N: God, I didn't realize i hadn't updated since last year! Originally there were supposed to be more posts but, and unfortunately, my usb thingy got stepped on and royally fucked up (and every story i've ever put on this website was on that thing!) so i had to make due with rewriting everything. These two chapters weren't originally this long, but, because i feel so bad about not updating, i added more to both, so don't fret! I've seen authors who put there stories on Hiatus and i refuse to do that, it may take time but i'm gonna finish what i started!


	26. Chapter 26

_Present_

My face is smothering a pillow, soaking it in tears. And I don't like to cry, because when I do its messy and disgusting, but this is one of those moments where I just don't give a flying fuck. I don't want to believe I'm some long lost person named Maria.

I don't want to believe that the masked man is apart of my lost past. I mean, the dude is a freaking monster and seems to have some bizarre fixation with me. But the evidence is there. I even remembered him, though the mask had not existed nor his scars. Cleary the man in my hazy memories is entirely different from the one I know. I'll never forget how Bane nearly killed me, that's a rather recent memory I can't rid myself of.

I remember every detail, as if it happened seconds ago. One hand around my neck, squeezing mercilessly. I've never stared into eyes so willing to murder, as if the act was no different than breathing. He has the eyes of a real beast. There is no way I could have known someone practically marinated in meanness.

Once the tears have subsided, I decide its best not to hang around any longer. Bane will find me wherever I go, especially now that he thinks of me as some kid he's been searching for. But I need to go home. I want to be in my own bed for once and wear my own clothes instead of these stupid militia uniforms. The young soldier told me he'd be back, and I can't imagine how he'll react when he returns to an empty room.

He could be scolded, I would probably put him in a tough position, but if I stay here for another minute, I'm going to lose my freaking mind. I just need a breather, maybe I'll even come back- the cat still needs me after all. I search through the soldier's things, finding extra shirts and baggy pants that I fit myself into. Of course, the clothes are big on me and definitely look ridiculous but they fit enough to keep from slipping off my form and they do a good job hiding my gender.

I find a grey hoodie and slip it on, tying my hair back into a bun and fixing the hood to slightly shield my eyes. I venture out into the hall, surprised by the lack of people. I take the stairs to the lobby- using the elevator would be too obvious. And just as I thought the whole area is crowded with Bane's men. That bald black guy is there too, giving some kind of presentation. The stairway has an exit leading to the outside.

I don't stick around to see what's up- even though my curiosity is buzzing quite loudly. Once outside I easily merge into the background. I wonder how the police haven't found out that Daggott tower is being occupied by criminals. Now that it comes to mind, what happened to everyone that worked in the building?

I shake my head and force myself not to think about it, maybe that should remain a mystery for now.

* * *

My apartment is warm and I'm happy its stayed that way during my absence. The first thing I do is take a hot shower. I don't even get dressed, I walk to the kitchen in only a towel, rummaging through the fridge and freezer, looking at what's expired. Nothing has reached it due date, but I go ahead and take out everything, I need to get rid of it all. I don't know when the masked man will find out I'm missing, but once he does its only a matter of time when he's bursting through the front door.

And awaiting him will be a massive feast of meats, veggies, pasta, and lots and lots of cookies (I didn't even know I had so much cookie mix). I turn on the TV, switching to the news to find out what I've missed so far. I notice its almost two in the morning. The veggies and meat are frozen; it would take too long to thaw them out the proper way so I settle for sticking them in bowls of hot water. I begin to dice some onions when I hear the name Selina Kyle. My eyes flash to the screen and widen at seeing her mug shot.

"...she was arrested in the afternoon and charged with the kidnapping of congressman-" How the hell did she let the cops catch her, of all people!

I continue hacking away at the onions, my mind is already troubled enough and now my friend is in prison. That's almost just as bad as being caught by Bane. And because of that stupid Dent Act, they'll put her in men's prison with the general population (I'm sure of it) since she's escaped women's prison too many times to keep record. I know she can hold her own, even in a male populated cage, but if the masked man finds out about this…I turn to another channel screening a children's show. Hearing Selina is in jail is enough bad news for one day.

Once I've got the meat in the oven and the veggies simmering in a pot, I start on the cookies. As I'm placing little rolls of dough on a cookie sheet, there's a heavy knock coming from the front door. I glance at the timer on the stove, its almost five. I sigh and wipe my hands on a towel. When I reach the front door its already open and low and behold its not who I thought would come for me.

"Something smells delicious." Barsad says nonchalantly, closing the door.

"I'm cooking," I say. He takes off his shoes (how polite of him) and removes his coat.

"You're not taking me back?"

"The Boss, personally, wants to bring you back."

"How charming." I sarcastically swoon.

"You got a solider in trouble you know, could have gotten him killed." I keep a calm expression but my heart clenches from hearing that.

"What happened to him?"

"Oh, he only got punched in the nose."

"That's not so bad."

"By the Boss." …oh…

"Though I'm sure worse would have happened if no one was there to hold the Boss back. He was quite angry," Great. Thanks Barsad for making me feel like shit.

"Why are you not dressed? If I may ask?"

"Well I wasn't expecting company for another couple of hours."

"So you expected to be found."  
"You say that like I ran away-"

"-That's exactly what you did."

"No. If I were running away I wouldn't have risked coming home. I would've just stole a car and high tailed out of this stupid city."

"You must have known leaving would make him angry."

"You think I care how he feels? That's sweet of you to think I'm a good person." Barsad rolls his eyes,

"Get dressed. And pack a bag. You need to be ready to leave when the Boss gets here."

"Another road trip across the globe?" I am not up for that again,

"No." he says with a grim smirk.

"Where?"

"Can't say."

"Of course you can't." I mumble as I walk towards my room to quickly throw on some clothes. I decide to go with a simple t-shirt and sweatpants. And as I'm rummaging through my dresser for a shirt, I find something that makes me almost weep in joy. I pick up a small bag, shaking it and glaring admiringly at the contents within- I was so sure I had run out of this. After putting on a shirt I walk back to the living room. Barsad is busy observing my bookshelf.

"Would you be interested in helping me smoke the rest of this?" I ask all fancy like, tossing him the bag. He stares at me with a mischievous smirk, one I've never ever seen on him before. He goes through his pants pockets, finally pulling out a box of small squares of paper meant for wrapping joints.

I think we've just become friends.

* * *

Bane pops up two hours later, finding me and Barsad high as a kite busy eating cookies and watching Dora the Explorer. He's absolutely furious with me, I can see the wrath in his eyes, however when he speaks his voice is careful and temperate. At this point Barsad sobers up (rather quickly, which makes me question just how great his tolerance is) and goes off to attend some other matter, leaving me with the brooding giant.

"Do you enjoy toying with me?" Bane says. We're both in the kitchen, and he's pacing back and forth.

"I do." I say, as I slump against one of the tall stools surrounding the island counter. He glowers at me, as if wanting to strike me. I'm having a little trouble thinking straight and, honestly, could care less how mad he is at the moment. Nonetheless I'm not so high that I can't soothe his anger, and using my feminine charms has always come naturally.

"You haven't slept," I say, going to him and taking his hand. He squints his eyes, plainly suspicious of my actions, but does nothing to shrug me away.

"I do not need sleep."

"Are you hungry?"

"You have not answered me." I take his palm between my hands,

"You smell like a men's locker room. You ought to take a bath. I have a washer and dryer; I can clean your clothes for you." I hear him exhale deeply, the sound forms into hisses as the air pushes out of the mask.

"Are you intoxicated?"

"Kind of."

"What have you taken?"

"Isn't it obvious, I mean, the whole apartment smells like a frat house." Even with all the windows open it would take a day to air out the place. And the furniture always held the scent longer. The fact that I'm a little smashed should have been pretty blatant when he walked through the door.

"Do you have anymore of it?" Bane questions

"Nope, what me and Barsad shared was the last of it. Why? You wanted some too?"

"I do not want to see you like this ever again."

"Why? Am I making you uncomfortable, cause if I am that's good."

"I will not repeat myself-"

"I am a grown, ass, woman. I can do whatever the hell I want! Now go take a shower!"

Bane forces his hand away from mine with a disheveled growl, and moves past me, heading into my room. I hear the bathroom door slam shut, and soon I hear the shower turned on. I smile, almost wanting to snicker, but I control myself. I know I'm playing a dangerous game- and not the cat and mouse one.

More like, I'm a reptile handler and Bane is the constrictor. One wrong move and he'll squeeze the life out of me. Fortunately, I have some kind of sway over him, but its definitely limited. I just hope its enough to keep me alive until I find a way out of his grip.

I go into my room and see his uniform lying in a heap on the floor. I scoop them up and, ignoring his multiple belts, a dagger, guns, and other dangerous things I find in his pants pockets, throw them in my washer machine, using extra liquid detergent. Afterwards I start putting away the food. So far, Barsad and I managed to eat half of what I made. There's still a lot of chicken and beef left.

I fix a plate for Bane, keeping it off to the side as I clean. I can't even believe I'm doing something as mundane as cleaning. Thieves rarely have normal days. But it's the greatest feeling when you're not worrying about being shot at by the police or gangsters. Whenever I decide that being a thief is not worth it anymore, I think I'll try being a housewife, I'm sure I'd make a great housewife.

"Is this for me?" his voice startles me so much I splatter water all over my shirt.

"Shit! do I need to put a bell on you?" he's not wearing the mask, so when he chuckles the sound is so chillingly sexy and appeasing. What makes it worse is that the man has nothing but a towel around his waist, and a little water is still slicking down his skin. I look away abashed; how could someone so undeniably terrible look so gorgeous. Bane picks up the plate that I set aside for him and begins wolfing it down.

"Jesus, slow down or you'll choke-"

"-ten minutes."

"…What?"

"I can only be without it for ten minutes." He points to the mask, casually lying on my bed. I stare at it, wondering what its like to have to wear such a peculiar thing all the time. As Bane eats, I go into the room to replace my shirt. Of course, I'm super curious about the mask and like a giddy child I have to fiddle with it. Its has a rough texture. The pipes that make Bane look terrifying are made out of some kind of metal material, like each piece had been sawed off from a pipe. There are screws all over the place, and the latches that hold the mask to his face are sewn on crudely. Clearly this creation was rushed. The inside of the mask is humid, and a weird smell is exuding from it. The scent reminds me of a chemistry lab. And just as I'm bringing it close to my face, to try it on, Bane snatches it away.

"You are too curious," He says sternly,

"The venom from my mask would have killed you."

"Venom?"

"Do not touch this again."

"What is the mask for?" he sighs heavily, just as the washer machines buzzes- indicating his clothes are clean. I stand to go check on the clothes, but Bane grabs my arm.

"I must apologize to you." He says softly,

"I puts my hands on you, with the intent to kill, and…and I regret it deeply." Oh god, he's referring to that night when he almost choked the life out of me. Does he expect me to forgive him for that?

"I have to put the clothes in the dryer." I say, hoping he gets the hint- I'm not ready to deal with this topic yet. I'm not sure if I ever will be (and certainly not while I'm still feeling psychedelic).

"I wear the mask, because it stops my pain," he begins

"If I do not wear it, I cannot function. With other substances, I can manage thirty minutes to an hour without it. However, with nothing to stop the pain, ten minutes is the longest I can last." The look Bane has in his eyes while he's saying this makes it feel like he's spilling his guts all over the floor.

Why do I feel like he's telling me a big- like King Kong big- secret?

I don't think I've ever considered that the mask was a medium for his medicine; I've always thought he wore it as a decoration. I certainly never thought of it as a weakness, but between him being smart and massive and strong, I guess something has to balance out the odds. He hands me the mask as he lets go of my arm.

"If you wish for me to suffer for what I have done to you… then, I will." He sits on the bed, like he's preparing to be tortured. I'd love for him to writhe a little; if he hadn't stumbled into my life, it would be me and Selina lounging around in my home while under the influence. I wouldn't be thinking about leaving Gotham, the city I was raised in by the sweetest parents on the planet.

But, ever since he forced himself into my life I've begun to remember bits and pieces of twelve years' worth of memories. As much as I want to deny it, I know him. And he was once very dear to me, I know that for sure. I remember the dream I had, with the raging colors. Now I see faces, especially his face, and I see the little girl tugging on me to follow her. I approach Bane, standing so close to him that our skins almost touch. One hand feels along his marked face, tracing welts and darkened scars. I stare into his eyes and my heart clenches. Why is looking at me with such adoration?

"I don't want you to suffer." I say as I place the mask back on his face. I watch him breathe in deeply, as he fastens it to his head. Whether I like it or not, the man in my memories and the one before me are the same. And the man from my memories absolutely cherished my child self. Of all the men I've met, I have yet to meet one who loved any woman the way Bane treasured Maria.

"You loved Maria. Didn't you?" I ask, feeling tears well in my eyes. The question, evidently, surprises him. He becomes statue still as his gaze locks on to mine.

"Now that you know I'm her, now that she's tainted…Do you still love her?" He says nothing; he places hands on my waist and urges me forwards. I hold his shoulders to prevent from falling. Then he grasps my face, gently caressing my cheeks with his thumbs, as he brings my forehead to his own. The gesture is simple, yet so profoundly heart warming.

"Perhaps you are not the same child I knew. Nonetheless...If you will allow me to… I would like to care for you once again." This will be the second time I cry today. Burly arms wrap around me, and I straddle his waist to keep close.

"I should hate you." its like the more my memories return to me the less I harbor thoughts of killing Bane. All of the negative feelings I have are being replaced with something I'm not sure I'm ready to acknowledge yet.

"Let your emotions flow freely." Bane says, as his hands begin to knead my back.

"I used to dream of ways to end you," that makes him chuckle, the sound is distorted now that the mask is back on.

"You are not a good person. At all. And I'm sure you realize that."

"Little one, I have been aware of that before I was even a man." His hands venture down to my waist again, this time going further to grasp my thighs to gradually spread them wider. I wrap my arms around his neck,

"To be honest I think your evil-" I say shakily as I feel him moving against me.

"-Your right to assume so." His voice has changed. His English accent has been replaced with -what sounds like- a Hispanic one. Oddly its sounds incredibly natural, as if this new drawl is how his voice should have sounded all along.

"You didn't let me finish. I think your evil, but…"

"But?" if he didn't have the mask on I'm sure he'd be kissing my neck right now. However, he had to make do with pressing the metal upon my skin and inhaling intensely.

"Evil men love no one but themselves, but you…I think you care more for others than you do yourself."

"You truly believe that?"

"Okay, maybe a select few, like Barsad and that other guy with the scar-"

"-You think I care for them."

"You do. They don't fear you like everyone else does. And the other little girl in my memories. She didn't fear you either." Bane suddenly stops all of his intimate ministrations. I look him in he eyes; his adoration has been replaced with guilt.

"You know who I'm referring to?" I query as he gently pushes me off his lap. He stands and walks over to my dresser where I've plopped all of his belongings not being washed at the moment. He rummages through it, until picking up a rather ragged dagger that has definitely been through years of use. He comes back to me, handing me the knife.

"This belonged to Talia' Al Ghul," He says,

"She is the little girl in your memories. And she is also your sister."


	27. Chapter 27

_Past_

Stealing had become quite easy to Maria. Talia was good as well, but her sister was practically an expert. She could snatch something from someone's pocket in a heartbeat without them ever knowing. She could misdirect vendors as Talia stole food from their stands.

Sometimes they stole money, but only when needing to buy information for the location of Ra's Al Ghul. They stood in an alleyway, and as Talia talked to a young man, Maria noticed a rather shiny silver pocket watch dangling from his pant pocket. He didn't see her take it, hadn't even felt it slip out his possession. They made it two blocks up the street when the man began to chase after them but he wasn't alone.

"There they are! Thieves! Kill'em, kill'em both!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. The children sprinted up the street diving into alleyways, running through homes, and still they couldn't shake off the group. They'd manage to hide from them, but the men were searching the area thoroughly. It was a matter of time when they'd be found.

"You just had to take the stupid thing." Talia scolded.

"I don't know why I did it. It just looked so shiny and, and-"

"And what? We don't need it. It's not necessary…they're not gonna give up. That guy isn't just some punk. He's part of a gang."

"What if I acted as a distraction?" Maria said and her sister was tempted to slap her for saying something so crazy.

"Talia. We both know you're the true survivor. If not for you I wouldn't have made it out of the pit. And if I had to choose between the two of us… I want you to live."

"You're scared, you're talking nonsense. We're both gonna make it out of this."

"You can escape-"

"-Maria-"

"-we'll see each other again." and she couldn't catch her sister fast enough. Maria took off.

* * *

It'd been two weeks since Talia lost Maria. She'd searched for her but couldn't find her anywhere. Eventually she had to leave the city, no longer able to hide from the men who hunted her. She wandered through the plains, with only a half full container of water and few loafs of stale bread to keep her going. She sipped at the water and ate the bread slowly, making her supplies last a week before she was truly in trouble.

She didn't know the plains went on for hundreds of miles and by foot it was near impossible to get anywhere. But she was determined. Her last source of information had said Ra's Al Ghul had settled in the mountains west of the city. She could see the mountains, but they were so far away it was taunting to walk for hours and hours and not appear any closer. Eventually her little legs gave out, and her hunger was too great. She stumbled onto the ground, not even having the strength to pick herself up.

"No." she whispered hoarsely. It couldn't end this way. She had to find the man for the sake of her sister who'd sacrificed herself. She had to find him for the sake of survival. Talia tried to stand again but her body wouldn't allow it. So she closed her eyes and tried to rest but a humming sound, like a vehicle approaching, enticed her instincts. The sound became louder and louder until it abruptly stopped. Then there were footsteps.

"What are you doing out here?" a man's voice spoke, more to himself than directly to her. She felt his boot nudge her leg, like a kid poking a dead animal with a stick.

Fingers pressed against her neck, checking for signs of life.

"She's alive." The man said aloud. Then there were more footsteps.

"She must've come from the city." The same man commented.

"Hmm…you notice she matches the descriptions," Another said,

"Brown hair, tan skin-" fingers probe at her eyelids until slightly propping it open so the man could view its coloring,

"-Brown eyes-"

"That's not specific enough."

"But look at her. She looks just like him, doesn't she?"

"Well…I suppose there's a resemblance."

"Admit it, this is the one."


	28. Chapter 28

_Present_

Selina didn't mind prison. She could care less for the crude jeering. She sits in her cell, alone, contemplating her grand escape. Every second she wasted in this sick city, the thinner her lifespan becomes. Despite her face being all over the news she hoped the masked man didn't know she was still here. Thinking of him made her think of Raja, and thinking of Raja made her nauseous.

Deep down she had knew the masked man wouldn't give her back, bringing him the Batman was more for the sake of saving herself. What did he even want with Raja? Of course she's drop dead gorgeous, but he doesn't seem like the type that falls for beauty alone. Whatever he wanted with her, hopefully it's enough to keep her friend alive. Now if she could only find a permanent way to stay out of danger. Selina chuckles to herself, what a dream that would be to be free of such a vicious lifestyle.

"Hey! Hey doll face." Selina hears a prisoner call out to her. She groans internally, gazing at the fugly man in the cell across from her own. She could guess how long he'd been in the slammer based on his sleazing eyes alone- clearly its been a while since he's seen a woman, so she estimated he's been stuck in here for at least three years. His hands clench the iron bars keeping him within his cage, glaring at Selina like she is the meat and he is the carnivore.

"What's up darling." She says coolly, choosing to indulge the man. The man reeled back like something struck him, perhaps surprised she would speak to him at all. She assumes he has self-esteem issues.

"Uh…" she also assumes he is one of those assholes on the street who enjoy catcalling women, but when they turn around and confront him all of a sudden he can't talk.

"Well, what do you want?" she asks plainly, she stands and goes to the cell door.

"Oh, I think I know." She says as she gradually brings a hand closer to her nether regions. The man couldn't look away, 'too easy' she thinks to herself.

"To bad you'll never get the chance to have a taste."

* * *

Bane revels in her touch. He almost lost it when she wrapped her legs around his waist. Rubbing his hands along her back and eventually grasping her thighs and urging them wider, he grinds into her, feeling his blood grow warmer when she releases a shaky breath. His love for Maria had always been platonic, but now that she has become Raja all he could think about at the moment is how badly he wanted to kiss her.

However, with the mask in the way, all he could do is breathe in her scent. She's talking to him but he's not really listening though he talks back so she doesn't think he isn't paying attention. He was going to move her further onto the bed, but then she brings up Talia and at that point he stopped everything he was doing. He hadn't spoken to Talia since he came back from the pit. He'd completely forgotten about her, ever since he found out Raja is Maria, and a heavy sense of guilt washes over him. Raja stares at him in confusion as he walks over to her dresser and takes the dagger lying on its surface. He brings it to her, handing her the weapon.

"This belonged to Talia' Al Ghul," He says,

"She is the little girl in your memories. And she is also your sister." She examines the dagger, feeling along its rugged blade.

"I had a sister?"

"You _have_ a sister."

"Where is she?"

"She is here, that is all I can say." Raja frowns at him,

"She's apart of your plan to destroy Gotham." She says this with certainty (and her guess is spot on) but Bane does not entertain the idea.

"Finish cleaning my clothes, dawn is approaching and I have much to do in the morning." He knew she hated when he averted her questions, and found it amusing to see her eyes burn with anger. She sucks her teeth and tosses the dagger on the bed, stomping out the room and slamming the door behind her. He sits back on the bed, snickering to himself. A few moments later she returns, but she doesn't go pass the boundaries of the doorway.

"Why do you want to destroy Gotham?" her expression is deadly serious.

"It is not my desire to destroy Gotham."

"That's a load of bullshit." He glares at her, not liking the demanding tone she has taken nor her persistent probing of his plans. He would care for her, but there is a limit to how much control she could exact over him. He stands, moving towards her and smirks when her countenance becomes very guarded.

"I am merely a liberator."

"As if anyone would believe someone as menacing as you would be a liberator."

"I can be convincing."

"Convince me then." He stares down into her eyes. For once he has no clue what she could be thinking. It's pointless trying to deceive her, because she already knows what kind of man he is. Nonetheless he comes up with something.

"Why do you cling to this city?" her gaze falters,

"…I don't."

"Then why do you care for its well being?" her lips part but no words are said. He smiles, knowing he won this round. She is quite similar to this city's caped vigilante. They both seem to have this crazy notion that Gotham, even with its overdose of flaws, is worth preserving.

"Tell me more about my sister." She mutters, deciding to switch the topic, unfortunately for her he has no desire to indulge her. When Talia emerged from the pit years ago, she left behind a great deal of her innocence. By the time she was sixteen years old whatever speck of light that existed within her had diminished.

She is a true creature of the darkness - just like him.

He prefers Raja keep her perception of Talia as a child. He has a feeling she would not take to the present Talia too well.

"In due time." He tells her.

* * *

As Talia Al' Ghul looks into the mirror all she could think of is how despicable she's become. She believed herself to be numb, taught herself to not be attached to anything. But then she had never met Bruce Wayne. She had never met someone so intricate. She had never known anyone who would go to such lengths for a people who don't deserve an ounce of salvation.

And anyone who truly looked into his soul would realize that Bruce Wayne is no more than a mere façade to hide his true persona. He intrigued her. And ever since Bane took him far away a couple of weeks ago she has been feeling terribly ill. Sleeping with him wasn't part of the plan. But she had felt something genuine, something she didn't know she could still feel at all. The last night she saw him, they were cuddled together. He had felt warm and she felt safe and he had whispered to her those heart ripping words- "I love you". She wanted that moment to go on forever.

And then he was gone and reality slammed into her chest.

"Do not forget who he is. What he had done." She mumbles to herself. He is the man that killed her father. That's the only reason she would ever step foot in this forsaken city. Bane thought differently, he still believes in the League of Shadows mission to 'restore balance' in the world. He has yet to know that she didn't care about the league's duty- as much as her father tried to instill his mantra onto her it never took hold.

All she wanted was revenge. Burning down Gotham was simply a ruse to appease the league, but all she ever wanted was for this city's dark hero to suffer. Talia exhales and turns away from the mirror. She can't dwell on this now. She would be meeting Lucius Fox soon. She forces herself away from the glass, grabbing her suit jacket off her bed and slipping it on. As she's slipping on black heels her cell phone begins to ring. She swiftly answers it,

"Yes?"

"The fuel is set." The voice belongs to Barsad, instantly she switches from Miranda Tate's soft attitude to her own rough personality. She also remembers that everything said must be said cryptically, that way if her calls were being traced anyone would assume she is simply a boss scolding her employee.

"And what of the trash, has it been taken care of?"

"Well...No." she feels a rush of anger,

"I thought I said-"

"-I can't take out the trash Ms. Tate-"

"-Why not?" her words are like acid,

"You need to talk to the head manager about that." And he hangs up, not giving her the chance to argue. Talia has the impulse to throw her phone, why would she need to speak to Bane about some bitch he's adopted? Why did she even task him with killing Bane's slut? Talia grabs her purse as she heads out of her small condo.

"If you want something done you have to do it yourself." She mumbles to herself. Bane would be angry with her, but he'd get over it.

Her existence is what gives him purpose, which is why he will always belong to her.

* * *

Barsad watches Bane, Raja Hughes, Miranda Tate, Lucius Fox, and one other member of Wayne Enterprise descend from a large lift. Raja stood closest to Bane, while the other three were being handled by league members. As they approached he moved away from the control panel for the energy reactor Bruce Wayne secretly built underneath the city. His superior took his spot, and points to the machine,

"Turn it on." He commands,

"I won't do it." Fox snaps, and his response is met with the eldest of the group being shoved onto the ground and a gun aimed at his head.

"Resistance is futile." Bane says,

"I won't turn it on." Fox retorts, the sound of the gun being cocked rings throughout the area,

"Wait!" Tate yells,

"Lucious they will kill this man. No matter what we do, it won't slow them down." With that said she approaches the control panel first. She lays her palm flat on its surface, allowing the machine to scan it and light green in approval. Lucius, reluctantly, does the same, as well as the other board member. Once the last palm is scanned the machine begins to hum with life.

"Take them back to the surface," Bane says,

"I will allow people of their status to experience the new era of civilization." the three Wayne corps members are taken away, and Doctor Leonid Pavel is brought into the fray. Barsad remembers when they took him six months ago, having to go so far as to fake his death just to keep the feds from searching for him.

After all his a nuclear physicist, and the only one in the world who can turn Wayne's energy reactor into a bomb.

The man is old and terribly frail. Keeping him alive and healthy enough just to perform this one action was a full time job. He has a heart condition that makes him prone to strokes, which doesn't help at all when he's forced to be under constant stress.

"Go on Doctor. Do your work." Barsad's superior says nonchalantly as he takes a seat. Raja stands rather close to him, which he finds odd considering she's supposed to detest him. Despite his boss's horrid treatment of people there are women who found him appealing- whether the attraction lied in Bane's domineering guise or mysterious qualities Barsad could never tell nor did he really care. Raja catches him staring, and smiles impishly. She whispers something to Bane, who in turn glances his way as well. His boss speaks to him in Arabic,

"What did you do with the animal?" Barsad has the impulse to roll his eyes, but he suppresses the desire.

"It awaits her at the new base." he replies in the same language. Raja looks back and forth between them, frowning. Bane is satisfied with his answer, and does not appease Raja's inquiry. She huffs and crosses her arms, like a pouting child.

"There, your reactor is now a four ton nuclear bomb, just as you wanted." Doctor Pavel says to Bane.

"Take the core out of the reactor." Bane says to his soldiers, motioning with his hands as well.

"Wait! You cannot! If you remove it from its case it will decay in a matter of months!" the Doctor pleads,

"Five months, by my calculations."

"Yes, and then it will self detonate!"

"For the sake of your children Doctor, indeed I hope it does."


End file.
